Tag: Math Games

75 Frightfully Fun Halloween Activities, Crafts, and Games Kids Love

A chill is in the air, costumes are filling the stores, and Halloween is right around the corner. That means spooky season is upon us! Celebrate the season with these fun and creative Halloween activities and games. You’ll find party games perfect for a class Halloween celebration as well as more educational finds like writing prompts and STEM and math challenges. There are enough Halloween activities on this list to do something different every day in October and then some!

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Quick and Easy Halloween Activities

Try these activities as part of morning meetings or bell ringers, or to fill in when you have a few extra minutes at the end of a class or day. They’re all simple to pull off, with minimal (or no) prep needed!

Tell Halloween jokes

What’s a witch’s favorite subject in school? Spelling, of course! Share some belly laughs with our favorite Halloween jokes for kids.

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Share Halloween quotes

Post a new quote daily to greet students (we’ve got 101 of them to choose from, with images that are all ready to display). Or ask students to choose their favorite quote and create an illustrated poster you can display in the classroom or hallway.

Try it: Halloween Quotes

Do a Halloween word search

Snag our free printable word searches, with options for easy, medium, and hard. They’re perfect for early finishers and extra credit!

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Pose Halloween trivia questions

Whether you set up a class competition or just use these trivia questions as bell ringers or morning meeting openers, they’re sure to challenge students of all ages.

Try it: Halloween Trivia Questions (Free Slides!)

Crack the Halloween Code

Solving coded messages is fun, but it also teaches valuable skills like pattern-matching and logic. Grab our free worksheet to try it with your students.

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Watch a Halloween video

Check out our roundup of terrific educational Halloween videos. Get some math practice, learn about Halloween around the world, or try some spooky yoga. You’ll find options for every subject and grade level.

Try it: Educational Halloween Videos

Complete a Halloween crossword

This crossword is just right for elementary students. Pair up younger kids to make it a little easier, or assign this as a fun seasonal homework or enrichment activity.

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Solve a Halloween word scramble

We scrambled 20 themed words for kids to unscramble. The worksheet is designed at an elementary school level, but it makes a fun timed challenge for middle or high school students too!

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Color Halloween coloring pages

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Let’s face it, Halloween is a tough day to teach, especially by the afternoon. It’s totally OK to give yourself a break and pass out these coloring pages to end the day!

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Halloween Books, Poems, and Read-Alouds

Use the seasonal picks in these roundups for story time, reading comprehension practice, book talks, reading groups, and more!

Best Halloween books for kids and teens

This collection includes all the classics (Room on the Broom or Bunnicula, anyone?) as well as new reads to discover. Our list includes picture books, chapter books, and even middle grade and young adult options.

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Popular pumpkin books for kids

With both fiction and nonfiction options, this list gives you lots of choices for learning about Halloween’s unofficial mascot!

Try it: Pumpkin Books for Kids

Halloween poems for the classroom

Whether you prefer the classics like Poe (“Once upon a midnight dreary …”) or are looking for cute new options to share with little ones, you’ll find the perfect poetry picks on our list for all grades.

Try it: Halloween Poems for the Classroom

Best books about monsters

Halloween isn’t just about ghosts and witches—it’s also time for monsters to shine! From silly to scary, this roundup is full of Halloween-ready tales to share with kids.

Try it: Best Books About Monsters

Spookley the Square Pumpkin books

Pumpkins are round … right? Well, not always! The Spookley books are really popular with kids, and there are so many fun (and educational) ways to use them in the classroom. Check out our roundup and activity ideas to learn more.

Try it: Spookley the Square Pumpkin Books and Activities

Scary short stories for kids and teens

When you don’t have time for a whole book, short stories are the way to go. In short fiction, writers have to make good use of every word to capture the mood and draw readers into the tale. That makes this format perfect for horror and suspense tales, like the ones in our roundup.

Try it: Scary Short Stories for Kids and Teens

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ELA Halloween Activities

Looking for some ways to bring the spooky season to your ELA classroom? We’ve got you covered! These activities help kids learn and polish their reading and writing skills.

Hang a Halloween word wall

Add a new word to your wall every day, or spend the whole month using spelling and vocab words from our huge list (225+) of Halloween words.

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Give fairy tales a Halloween twist

How would the story have changed if Little Red Riding Hood were a werewolf, or it turned out that Cinderella’s Prince Charming was a vampire? Challenge your students to think outside the box and give new (spooky) life to old fairy tales.

Hold a Monster Adopt-athon

This is part art project, part writing practice, and totally fun! First, kids draw a picture of their very own monster, any way they like. Then, they write up a description of the monster, including its favorite things, where it was born, and the proper care and feeding to keep it healthy. Finally, kids present their monsters to the class, and other students choose the ones they’d like to “adopt”!

Hop on pumpkin letters

Use our free pumpkin templates to create a Pumpkin Hop course. Simply write a letter on each and tape them to the floor. You can add obstacles in between if you like, or simply have kids jump from letter to letter saying the name and sound it makes as they go. We love this for active learners!

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Free Pumpkin Templates

Create a Pumpkin Hop with our templates! Kids can jump from letter to letter, calling out names and sounds.

Try it: Free Pumpkin Templates

Host a Halloween debate

Who would win in a fight: a vampire or a werewolf? Are kids ever too old to go trick-or-treating? What’s the best design for a jack-o’-lantern? Divide kids into teams and let them prepare their arguments using our free printable organizers. Then, hold a face-to-face debate or fishbowl discussion and let them (civilly) argue it out!

Try it: Free Printable Debate Graphic Organizers

Do some “ghost writing”

A ghostwriter helps someone else put their story into words (though they don’t usually receive any credit as an author). Pair students up, then challenge one to come up with the detailed plot for a spooky story, while the other “ghost writes” the story itself, adding description and dialogue as needed. This is the perfect writing activity to use with our free ghost templates!

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Compose a Halloween poem

If your students groan when you ask them to write a poem, you need our poem-writing worksheet bundle! This free collection will walk students through writing seasonal poems like limericks, odes, haiku, couplets, blackout poetry, and more.

Try it: Free Poetry Worksheet Bundle

Sort Halloween words into alphabetical order

This quick and easy free printable activity is great for helping kids learn how to alphabetize. You can also use this list for spelling or vocab words.

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Inspire with Halloween writing prompts

What is your favorite Halloween costume and why? Would you spend a night in a graveyard for $100? Why or why not? We have 18 more Halloween writing prompt ideas plus free printable writing paper for students to use!

Try it: Halloween Writing Paper and Prompts

Write a Halloween how-to

One of the best ways to work on writing clearly and concisely is by asking kids to create a set of instructions on how to do something correctly. Let them choose from seasonal topics like “How To Carve a Pumpkin,” “How To Trick-or-Treat,” or “How To Create a Haunted House.” Bonus tip: Choose one or two essays to read aloud in class, trying out the directions to see how well they work!

Assemble a Halloween acrostic

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In an acrostic, the first letter of each line spells out a word or message. These are a lot of fun for kids to create, and we’ve made the process easier with our free printable worksheets!

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Cook up cauldron sentences

You’ll need a large plastic cauldron for this activity (and if you like, a big mixing spoon and a witch’s hat!). Ask each student to write a Halloween-themed word or phrase on a piece of paper and toss it into your cauldron. Mix up all the “ingredients,” then draw them out one at a time and ask kids to use each one in a sentence. For more of a challenge, try to incorporate each sentence into a larger story.

Complete a Halloween vocab worksheet

Here’s another simple, no-fuss Halloween printable activity you can use anytime you need it. The vocab words are ideal for the elementary crowd.

Try it: Halloween Vocabulary Worksheet

Send secret messages via ghost post

Writing messages in code takes some patience and creativity, but it’s so much fun to receive and decode them. Use our free printables to help kids practice writing and cracking codes, then have them send messages to each other through a classroom post office box decorated with ghosts!

Try it: Free Printable Secret Code Worksheets

Give students Halloween picture writing prompts

Picture prompts give writers a lot to work with: They can help set a plot in motion, create an atmosphere or mood, and inspire writers to include more details in their work. Take a look at our big collection of picture writing prompts to find some for the spooky season, or browse the web to find the perfect picks for your class.

Try it: Picture Writing Prompts for Kids and Teens

Write a persuasive essay about the best Halloween candy

Kids have a LOT of opinions when it comes to this topic, and it makes a fun, low-stakes topic for learning how to write a persuasive essay. You can also have them make the case for their favorite scary movie or the best Halloween costume. Plus, we’ve got graphic organizers to help them get started!

Try it: Free Printable Persuasive Essay Graphic Organizers

Science and Math Halloween Activities

Give your science and math lessons a bit of seasonal flair with these fun Halloween learning ideas.

Work on Halloween-themed math word problems

There are so many spooky situations that could easily be turned into math word problems. Our collection includes free slides you can share with your students. Try using them as problems of the day all throughout October.

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Sort flash cards into pumpkins

Pick up some plastic pumpkin buckets and label them with flash card answers. Then, see how quickly students can sort flash cards into the right ones!

Use candy corn for Halloween math activities

$A work sheet featuring Halloween candy corn$
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Pick up a few bags of candy corn and grab our free printables, then engage your students in meaningful Halloween math activities, from matching to multiplication.

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Solve spider equations

Cut one large and one small circle from black construction paper to form a spider’s body and head. (Don’t forget the googly eyes for fun!). Then, cut and attach eight strips for legs. Use white crayons or chalk markers to write a target number in the middle of each spider. Finally, have kids brainstorm various equations that equal the target, and write them on the legs. For instance, if the target number is 8, kids could write 5 + 3, 4 x 2, 32 ÷ 4, etc. This is a fun way to work on fact families too.

Color Halloween math mystery pictures

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Solve the equations and color the pictures. We love this free printable worksheet as an enrichment activity or Halloween week homework assignment.

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Brew up some math potions

For this fun Halloween early math activity, you’ll need a plastic cauldron and “ingredients” like colorful pom-poms, plastic spiders, googly eyes, etc. Make up a set of “potion” cards with recipes like “3 spiders, 2 red pom-poms, 5 green pom-poms, and 5 eyes.” Little ones drop the correct ingredients into the cauldron and give it all a stir. This is such a fun way to practice counting!

Color in a Halloween coordinate grid picture

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Teach coordinate grids for math or geography. Use the given coordinates to color in the squares and reveal a Halloween picture. Kids can also create their own pictures and give coordinates to their classmates.

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Take a candy survey and graph the results

Survey your class to determine what their favorite trick-or-treat candies are. Then, use the results to make graphs: bar graphs, line graphs, pie charts, etc. This makes a fun homework assignment too: Ask kids to survey 20 people and create their own graph.

Tackle a Halloween STEM challenge or two

Our collection of free printable cards is perfect for grades 2 to 5, though older kids will enjoy them too. Challenges include options like “Build a spiderweb out of pipe cleaners,” “Make a brain with play dough,” and “Build a bone bridge with Q-tips.”

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Make ghosts “dance” with static electricity

This simple little demo is so much fun! Cut small ghosts from white tissue paper, and blow up an orange or black balloon. Show kids how to rub the balloon on the right type of surface to create static electricity, then hold it over the ghosts to draw them up and make them dance.

Explode a pumpkin volcano

Carve a jack-o’-lantern, then use baking soda and vinegar to make it overflow with “lava.” Kids never get tired of this one! Get all the directions you need in our video.

Try it: How To Make a Baking Soda Volcano

Launch candy pumpkins with DIY catapults

Put a Halloween spin on this traditional STEM project. Give kids wood craft sticks, rubber bands, plastic bottle caps, and some glue. Then, challenge them to build a catapult that will launch candy pumpkins into a target.

Mix up some Halloween slime

Kids LOVE slime. Fortunately, it makes a really fun science experiment, and you can give it a Halloween twist with food coloring and mix-ins like googly eyes or pumpkin mini-erasers. Get four different slime recipes plus worksheets for the classroom at the link.

Try it: How To Make Slime

Fill a bat cave with bat facts

Ask kids to do some research about bats, and make a list of their favorite facts. Then, cut out bats from black construction paper and use white crayons or chalk markers to write in the facts. Turn one of your bulletin boards into a cave with some gray paper, and hang your bats for a truly fun and educational Halloween display!

Explore the pumpkin life cycle

Pumpkins take a long time to grow, and it’s not really practical to try this in a classroom (unless you’ve got a school garden, of course). Instead, watch our free video on the pumpkin life cycle to help kids learn more about it. And if you’ve got a strong stomach, you can try leaving a carved pumpkin out in the elements to watch it decompose!

Try it: Life Cycle of a Pumpkin Video

Make gummi worms dance

Use the same principles and method from our dancing popcorn video to see gummi worms twitch and writhe instead! Mix baking soda with water and drop in some candy worms. Then, slowly pour in vinegar and watch as the carbon dioxide bubbles make the candy rise and fall. Creepy and cool!

Try it: Dancing Popcorn Experiment Video

Blow up jack-o’-lantern balloons

Here’s one more baking soda and vinegar experiment you can easily turn into a Halloween science activity. Follow the instructions in the video. Use orange balloons, and before you attach them to the bottle, use a black permanent marker to draw a jack-o’-lantern face on them. It’s so exciting to watch the pumpkin balloons expand like magic (except it’s science, which is even better)!

Try it: Baking Soda and Vinegar Balloon Experiment

Halloween Games for Kids

These games make terrific choices for a class Halloween party, and they’re fun to play at home too!

Halloween Bingo

Everybody knows it, everybody loves it! Use our free printable Halloween bingo boards for a class-wide game. Each kid gets to cut out the cards and place them anywhere they like on their card, so no two boards will be the same!

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Ghost and pumpkin bowling

Collect 10 empty plastic bottles and paint them white, then add ghostly faces. Line them up as pins. Use an orange ball (you can use a black permanent marker to add a jack-o’-lantern face if you like) to knock them down!

Freeze Dance, Halloween style

Start the music and dance, dance, dance! When the music stops, freeze in place. Anyone still moving is out for that round. Play until just one dancer is left standing. Our spooky Halloween playlist has all the tunes you’ll need!

Try it: Thrillingly Fun Halloween Songs for Kids

Ghost cup stacking

Give this challenge a seasonal spin by adding ghosts faces to white paper cups. Give each player 10 cups in a stack, and ask them to stack them into a pyramid and then back down into a stack as fast as they can. If the pyramid falls over, they have to start again. This one is always a crowd favorite!

Pin the spider on the web

Draw a spiderweb on your whiteboard, and give each student a paper spider with tape or a magnet on the back. One at a time, blindfold the players, start them about 10 feet from the board, and spin them around three times. Their goal is to make their way to the board and get the spider as close to the middle of the spiderweb as possible.

Witch hat ring toss

Grab some small plastic cones from the dollar store. Paint them black and add some silver or gold buckles with a paint pen, so they look like witch’s hats. Line them up and see if kids can toss rings around them to win a prize.

Halloween Make-a-Word

This one is fun and simple: How many words can you make using the letters in HALLOWEEN? Grab our free printable to make this game even easier.

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Wrap the Mummy race

Break kids into pairs, and give each pair a roll of toilet paper. At the word “Go,” one player wraps the other in toilet paper as fast as they can, turning the player into a “mummy.” When they’re fully wrapped, the mummy races for the finish line.

Ghost and pumpkin hunt

Print and cut out ghosts and pumpkins from our free printables, then hide them around the room. Divide players into two teams, Ghosts and Pumpkins. Each team works together to try to find all of their ghosts or pumpkins first.

Try it: Ghost Templates and Pumpkin Templates

Halloween Charades or Pictionary

It’s a snap to give these classic games a Halloween twist when you use our free printable Halloween word lists! Whether kids want to act it out or draw it, we’ve got hundreds of words you can use for these games.

Try it: Halloween Words List and Printable Cards

Pumpkin beanbag toss

Make or buy orange beanbags, and draw jack-o’-lantern faces on them with permanent marker or a paint pen. Line up some buckets (pumpkin trick-or-treat containers or plastic witch’s cauldrons make this extra fun), then give each player a chance to toss as many as they can into the targets. Tip: Add different point totals to the buckets to give the game a bit of a strategic element.

Halloween Arts-and-Crafts Activities

Get creative throughout October and use these ideas to decorate your classroom or school hallways. Find more Halloween crafts for kids here.

Pumpkin carving

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Pro-tip: Use our free templates to make the most impressive pumpkin carvings for your classroom. If you’d like to carve pumpkins with students as a class activity, consider using artificial mess-free craft pumpkins for a keepsake kids can display for years to come.

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Draw a pumpkin

Use our free video to teach students how to draw a pumpkin. Once kids have this skill down, they can include pumpkins in all their Halloween art projects! Try having students draw their own pumpkin patches, adding their own creative flair.

Try it: How To Draw a Pumpkin (Printable)

Monster roll-and-draw

Draw a monster, but let the dice make the hard decisions! Roll a single die or pair of dice to determine how many of each of these body parts to include: head, arm, leg, eye, ear, mouth, nose, finger, and toe. This is a clever way to sneak some counting practice into art time.

Beaded pipe cleaner pumpkins

You’ll need orange and green pipe cleaners and pony beads for this Halloween craft. Take four orange pipe cleaners and twist them together in the middle, then fan them out so you have eight “spokes” of a wheel. String orange beads onto each spoke, then curve them up to meet in the middle, forming a pumpkin shape. Twist the ends to hold them in place, then add a green pipe cleaner with beads for a stem, and some green curlicues if you like.

Jack-o’-lantern lacing plates

This cute craft also provides excellent fine motor skills practice. Use a hole punch to punch even-spaced holes around the edges of orange plastic disposable plates. Cut out jack-o’-lantern faces from black construction paper and glue them in the middle. Give kids orange yarn and show them how to lace the yarn in and out of the holes.

Halloween painted rocks

You’ll need river rocks, craft paint, and brushes (or paint markers) for this creative Halloween activity. Decorate rocks to look like ghosts or jack-o’-lanterns, or paint them with spooky messages and pictures of witches, monsters, vampires, and more.

Drinking-straw skeletons

Cut white paper drinking straws into smaller pieces for “bones.” Give each student a handful, along with some black construction paper and glue. Ask them to create a skeleton in any pose they like, gluing it in place. For a fun expansion on this project, skip the construction paper and glue and use pipe cleaners instead. Kids string the “bones” onto the pipe cleaners, putting them together to form poseable skeletons.

Cotton ball ghosts

Try this cute activity with younger classes. Print and cut out our free ghost templates using white card stock. Spread the ghosts with a thin layer of glue, then have kids glue cotton balls in place to fill in the shape. When they’re finished, attach ghost faces made of construction paper.

Lite Brite pumpkins

Raid an old Lite Brite set for the colorful plastic pegs. Use a skewer to poke holes in a hollowed-out pumpkin (for a mess-free option, use craft pumpkins instead), and drop a battery-operated light inside. Push the pegs into the holes to create all sorts of spooky designs.

Yarn tassel ghosts

These ghosts are so easy to make! Cut a piece of cardboard about 5 inches wide, and wrap white yarn around it at least 20 times. Use a small piece of yarn to tie the top loops of yarn together, then slide the yarn off the cardboard. Tie a second small piece of yarn about an inch below the top to form the head. Finally, cut the yarn loops apart at the bottom and trim them if needed. Glue on small black beads for eyes and mouth, then hang your spooky creations!

More Halloween Activities for the Classroom

Rock your own Halloween costume

Courtesy of Gabriella S.

Need some creative ideas for Halloween costumes? Check out our roundups for inspiration from real We Are Teachers readers!

Watch Halloween movies

These kid-friendly picks are the perfect way to finish out Halloween in your classroom. Everything here is a no more than a little bit spooky or scary, but you’ll definitely want to watch in advance to make sure your choice is appropriate for your audience.

Try it: Best Halloween Movies for Kids of All Ages

Tell spooky campfire stories

Set up an artificial “campfire” in your classroom using orange and yellow streamers attached to a box fan lying flat on the floor. Turn out the lights and give everyone flashlights instead, then gather around the “fire” and tell scary stories. Check out our free collection to get things started!

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Dig into Halloween sensory bins

Assemble sensory bins full of the sights, sounds, scents, and textures of Halloween. Include some of these: popcorn or rice dyed orange and black; black beans; slime; cooked spaghetti noodles; water dyed orange and black; cinnamon sticks; candy corn; candy pumpkins; letter beads or magnets spelling “Halloween;” mini-erasers of ghosts, pumpkins, etc.; plastic spider rings; large googly eyes; plastic skeletons; mini pumpkins or cauldrons for scooping; or Halloween-themed confetti.

Create a Halloween escape room

This one takes some dedication, but your students will absolutely love it! Our free printables will walk you through the process step-by-step. If you’re not up for crafting your own puzzles, buy a ready-made escape room game (there are plenty of them available), then add your own decorations to customize it for your class.

Try it: Create a Classroom Escape Room

If you like these Halloween activities, check out these Halloween Bulletin Boards.

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Jill Staake, B.S., Secondary ELA Education

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September 2, 2025
28 Creative Ways To Teach Area and Perimeter

As young kids learn about shapes and measurement, they soon enough come to measure the perimeter and area of those shapes. There are shapes all around us. In fact, most of us live in homes that are made of a lot of rectangles. These rectangles, like rooms, are often measured and perimeters and areas are calculated for buying rugs or flooring. The same is true for painting those rectangular walls. So, calculating area and perimeter is a pretty practical skill. Here are some interesting area and perimeter activities and explorations to help students learn about perimeter and area in hands-on, motivating ways.

1. Tiling Area and Perimeter Chart

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

As a first exploration with both perimeter and area, put out a set of square counting tiles or even real tiles. Circle students up, give them six tiles each, and have them build along with you. First, put out four tiles and explain how this is a model of a floor. Explain how we count the outside of the tile’s edges to determine the perimeter. Then show how we count the tiles inside to determine the area. Draw a picture of this on chart paper and label “area” and “perimeter.”

Let students experiment with their tiles, making different kinds of rectangles and figuring out their areas and perimeters. Have them share back what they find, and add these ideas to the chart. This can become a good class reference as you continue working with these concepts.

2. Graph Paper Person

Graph paper is great for exploring area and perimeter because the squares are easily counted. Give students colored pencils and/or crayons and a piece of graph paper. Have them create a “drawing” of a person using only colored-in squares on the graph paper. Then ask them to determine the perimeter and area of their person and write both on the paper along with the calculations.

3. Sticky Note Measurement

Provide students with pads of colorful sticky notes and drawing paper. Ask them to create interesting designs or shapes using this colorful material. After some free exploration, direct them to clear the paper and create a design according to the perimeter and area you give them. You might ask for a rectangle that has a perimeter of 12 or a square that has an area of 16. After a while, let students make their own and then calculate their area and perimeter. Then take turns sharing the area and perimeter and see if the rest of the class can make the same thing.

4. Math Letter Mosaic

Break out the sticky notes again. Explain to students that they can create a mosaic using this material on a piece of large drawing paper. However, you will give them a capital letter to create, like an L or R. Once they do this, they measure and record the perimeter and area on a separate sheet of paper. It’s great if you can assign letters that will spell out a sentence. These make a great bulletin board or class sign.

5. LEGO Land

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

It seems like everyone loves LEGO and has for decades! Provide a set of LEGO to students and have them freely explore building flat designs. Then in a box or bag, put a set of cards with areas and perimeters written on them. Students take turns pulling a card, and using their LEGO bricks, they build a flat design with that exact perimeter and area.

6. Floor Tile–Style Field Trip

Take a mini field trip to another part of the school. Bring along yardsticks, rulers, measuring tapes, and painter’s tape. Many school floors in classrooms, cafeterias, and hallways are made of linoleum tiles. Partner students up and give them a roll of painter’s tape. Take the class to a large area to work together. Partners should create an interesting shape with the tiles and tape. Have them then calculate the area and perimeter with each floor tile being a unit of measure. You might not need the measuring tools, but you have them just in case.

7. Dream House Room Design

Barbie had a dream house! Maybe you do too. Provide each student with graph paper, pencil, scissors, a glue stick, and colored paper. Have them each draw a rectangle that represents a room in their dream house. Then cut out colored paper to represent furniture like tables, beds, sofas, and chairs. Arrange these in the room and glue them down. On each piece, write the perimeter and area of that piece as well as the perimeter and area of the room. You can add more rooms each session to build a total dream house floor plan.

8. Perimeter and Area Museum

Using tiles, cubes, sticky notes, attribute blocks, and any other manipulatives, explain to students that they will be building an area-and-shape museum on their desks. They should have at least five exhibits at the museum, each one showing a different perimeter or area. Use small pieces of construction paper and write the measurements on them. Fold them in half and stand them up as exhibit signs. Finally, have students take a museum walk and visit all the exhibits.

9. Perimeter and Area Hunt

Kids love scavenger hunts. Here’s one that helps them practice perimeter and area measures. Have each student make a flat model using multilink cubes according to a perimeter and area you give them individually. Then take these models and place them around the room, labeling each one with a letter. Students get a piece of lined paper, pencil, and clipboard and go around the room determining the perimeter and area of each model. They write it next to the corresponding letter on their paper. When done, review them together while holding the model up as a reference.

10. Vegetable Garden Planner

Give each student a piece of graph paper, colored pencils or crayons, and a pencil. Discuss what kinds of vegetables are grown in gardens. Ask students to use their graph paper to plan out a garden with at least five different things growing there. Determine how much of the garden they want to have for each vegetable, and draw and color in the areas for each. At the bottom of the plan, have a key that tells what each color means and how big that part of the garden is in terms of area and perimeter.

11. Geo Board Explore

Geo boards are a great way to explore shapes and measurements. Give each student a geo board and a pack of rubber bands. Begin by allowing students free exploration for five minutes. Then ask them to create a shape and calculate the perimeter and area. Finally, students take turns giving measurements to the class of the shape they made, like, “Make a triangle with a perimeter of 16,” or “Make a rectangle with an area of 8.” Everyone tries it on their geo boards and holds them up to show their answers.

12. How Many Rectangles Can You Make?

Here’s one of the area and perimeter activities that can stretch some thinking. Pair up students and give them 16 tiles. Explain, “You have 16 tiles. I want you to find how many different rectangles you can make using no more or no less than 16 tiles each time.” Have partners record these on a piece of graph paper, numbering them, and writing the perimeter and area of each. Share together at the end of the session.

13. Draw a Card, Draw a Rectangle

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

On a set of blank index cards, write a series of task cards. Each card should list a perimeter, an area, or an area and a perimeter. Give each student a piece of graph paper and a pencil. Ask them to choose a card from the deck. They should draw whatever the card specifies on the paper. When done, have it checked, and then students can trade cards to try some others.

14. How Big Are the Books?

Classrooms are full of books. Most are rectangles. Give each student lined paper, a pencil, and a ruler. For these area and perimeter activities, explain that they are to go around the room and select three books. They then write the titles down and measure the perimeter and area of each, recording it next to the title. Share back to see which book had the biggest and smallest perimeter and area. To extend this, send students two at a time to the library to find even bigger or smaller books to measure.

15. Tangram Time

Tangrams are always fun to play with. For these area and perimeter activities, print them out and let students explore and create for five minutes. Then focus back and have students create a tangram design on a piece of graph paper. Trace it, color it, and then find its perimeter and area. Suggest that students create at least two designs that are very different from each other.

16. The Area of My Pizza

Draw a couple of different-size circles on the board. Explain how you can find the area of a circle using the formula Area = 3.14 (pi) x radius (r)squared. Demonstrate how to measure the radius, and then use a calculator to do the operations in the formula. Using lids from cans or a compass, have students make at least two circular pizzas on a piece of drawing paper and with crayons “top” their pizzas with things like sausage, peppers, and so on. After decorating the pizzas, they should use a ruler and calculator to determine the area of each one and write it underneath the pizzas.

17. Graph Paper Names

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

Kids are always interested in their own names. Give students graph paper, colored pencils, and/or crayons. Explain that they should write their names in block letters using graph paper and color them in. Once each student completes their area and perimeter activities, ask them to calculate the area and perimeter of each letter and write that information under each letter.

18. Mystery Box

Put a collection of flat objects like books, notebooks, file folders, brochures, maps, box lids, stamps, stickers, and so on in a cardboard box. Students close their eyes and reach into the box and pull out an object. They take the object to their desks, write down the name of the object on a piece of lined paper, and then measure its perimeter and area, recording it next to its name. When done, return the object to the box and pick a new one. At the end, have students share their measurements for each object as you name them one by one.

19. Same/Same

Give each student a piece of graph paper and a pencil. The simple challenge is this: Can you draw two shapes that have the same area and perimeter but are different? Is it possible? How many can you make? Students draw these and share them on a bulletin board at the end. This is a great exploration no matter the results. Everyone will be thinking hard and measuring away!

20. Number Card Design

Have students pick two number cards from a deck of cards and then multiply them to determine the area. Now they take a piece of graph paper and try to draw a shape with that exact area. You can do the same with perimeter by having them pick two cards, one of which will show width and the other length.

21. Run Out of Room

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

Pair students up and give them crayons, graph paper to share, a pencil, and a pair of dice or number cubes. Each player chooses a color crayon to use. Players take turns rolling the dice. The two numbers that come up must be multiplied to create an area. The player then takes the color they chose and draws and colors in a shape of that area on the graph paper. The next player does the same thing. Players keep repeating this procedure until they can no longer fit any shapes on the paper. They add up the areas of their shapes and the player with the most area covered is the winner.

22. Land Rush

Stake your claim! There’s a land rush out in Area Acres. It’s a small place—in fact, only ants live there. You can stake your claim, but you can’t have a parcel of land with an area of more than 24 square centimeters or less than 12 square centimeters. Those are the rules. Using centimeter graph paper, have students draw two parcels of land that meet the requirements, and record their areas and perimeters.

23. Cheez-It Designs

Cheez-Its are tasty and they are also perfect little squares, which means you can tile with them and create some rectangles or other shapes. Give each student a couple of handfuls of crackers and a paper towel to build on. How motivating, especially if after you determine the perimeter and area, you get to eat them!

24. BIG Rectangles

Pair students up and give them some colored chalk. Have them draw a fairly big rectangle on the playground. Provide measuring tapes and ask them to work together to measure the perimeter and write it under the rectangle. Strategize on how they might determine the area. They could draw a grid on top and try to count squares and partial squares, adding them up to get a final answer, or just multiply the length by the width.

25. Magic Carpets

Here’s an opportunity to measure something a little larger. Bring in some rugs or carpet samples from a local carpet store. Pair up students and give them rulers, yardsticks, and tape measures. Tape a piece of paper with a letter on each rug. Spread these out around the room. Assign a letter for each pair to start at. They should use their measuring tools to discover the perimeter and area of each rug and record it on a piece of lined paper. When done with one, they rotate to the next until they’ve measured all the rugs and shared their findings.

26. Self-Portrait Picture Frame Perimeter

Bring in a framed picture or poster. Show students how you would measure the perimeter using a ruler or measuring tape. Give students a piece of drawing paper and ask them to draw a perimeter frame with a pattern design on it. Inside the frame, they should draw a self-portrait or a portrait of someone they admire. They then measure the perimeter of the frame and record it on the back of the paper.

27. Centimeters and Inches at the Pool

Give each student a ruler that has centimeters and inches on it or two rulers, one with centimeters and the other with inches. Ask students to draw a bird’s-eye view of a swimming pool on a piece of drawing paper and color it in. They can add deck chairs, umbrellas, tables, and so on around the pool. When finished, have them measure the perimeter and area in both inches and centimeters and record it on the same paper. Have students compare and discuss the differences in the numbers.

28. Design Estimation

We rarely carry measurement tools around with us—instead we mostly we estimate. Here’s one of the easy area and perimeter activities to get some practice with that.

Draw a fairly large, closed shape with straight lines on the board. Ask the class to take out whiteboards and markers, estimate the perimeter and area of your drawing, and record it. They can come up to the board to get a closer look, but they can’t use a measuring tool or touch the board. Once they have an estimate, they should share it back and explain their thinking.

Next, take a ruler and measure a couple of the lines of your drawing and tell the class the measurements. Based on the new information, they can revise their estimates or leave as is. Finally, ask students to take turns coming up to help measure the rest of the design and get a final answer.

If you liked these area and perimeter activities, check out Active Math Games and Activities for Kids.

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Bob Krech, M.S.Ed.

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September 5, 2024
$30 Preschool Math Games and Activities To Start Them Off Right$

30 Preschool Math Games and Activities To Start Them Off Right

Young kids learn by doing, especially preschoolers! They are active, hands-on, and excited about learning. Here’s a collection of preschool math games and activities across many early math areas that tap into that action-oriented enthusiasm and their need to get hands-on. There is a lot of emphasis on the basics of early math learning in these preschool math games, especially patterns, numbers, colors, shapes, and counting. Everything else with math builds on these. So, have fun doing and learning together with these math games for preschool students.

Preschool Math Games

1. Pipe Cleaner Counters

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

Students will love this engaging colorful activity that helps them practice basic counting and one-to-one correspondence. Provide pipe cleaners and pony beads (these have wide holes). Have students use 10 pipe cleaners and put one bead on the first, two beads on the second, and continuing to 10 beads on the 10th pipe cleaner. Count these out loud together as kids touch the beads on their Pipe Cleaner Counters.

2. Digging for Numbers

Provide a plastic tub of sand with a pre-determined number of playing cards “buried” in the sand. Also have a sheet of paper with numbers matching the cards. A student will dig for and find a card, then place it next to the matching number on the sheet. Of course students can use their hands to dig, but plastic shovels, plastic spoons, or tongs might add to the fun.

3. Keep It Up

So simple but so fun! Who doesn’t love to play with balloons? Students will need a balloon and a die. Students roll the die and then bounce their balloon that number of times without letting it touch the ground.

4. Roll and Build

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

Getting hands-on with preschool math games and counting with cubes is a great way to get a “feel” for math. Give students a pair of dice and blocks, LEGO bricks, or Unifix Cubes. Students roll one die and build a tower with that number of blocks or cubes. They then roll the second die and add that number to the tower. Now count how many cubes or bricks in the tower. Compare towers. Ask questions that have students thinking and counting like, Which is tallest? How many cubes is it? Which is shortest? How many cubes in that one? Take towers apart and begin again.

5. Build a Bug

Kids love bugs, and with this activity, they get to make one. Cut out pieces of paper that create parts of two simple, identical bugs: 1 head, 2 antennae, 2 eyes, a body, 6 legs, a tail. Put all the pieces in the center. Give students a die. Students will play in pairs, rolling the die and taking that number of bug body parts and assembling them together. Keep rolling until the pair builds a complete bug.

6. Making Shapes With Sticks

This will take a bit of simple prep, but it will serve as a set of shapes that will last! Provide students with markers, wood craft sticks, and glue. Give directions to create shapes, like, “color three sticks green and put them together to make a triangle, color four sticks red for a square, color five sticks blue for a pentagon,” and so on. Students can follow a prepared mat with the colored shapes or just make the shapes with sticks without the guide mat. Try making one a day at the beginning, and then students can work independently.

7. Swat That Number

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

Most kids love to run around and hit things. You don’t get much chance to do that as a preschooler, but in this game you do! Write numbers 1 through 10 on the board or on cards that you place around the classroom. Give a student a fly swatter. Call out a number and the student must run to the correct number and swat that number. Everyone then says the number aloud. Pass the fly swatter on to the next person and continue until everyone gets a turn.

8. Time To Hibernate

This activity taps into imaginative play … and bears! Use six dark-colored plastic bowls as bear caves. Cut out a “cave opening” on the side of the bowls, turn the bowl/caves upside down, and put a number sticker from 1 to 6 on each cave. Provide counting bears and a die. Students will roll the die, count that many bears, and put them in the corresponding numbered cave. If that cave is already full, roll again.

9. Measuring Our Bears

Measuring with cubes is a good beginning for standardized measuring. Have students bring in a stuffed animal bear from home. In groups, have the students put the bears in order of height from shortest to tallest. Measure each bear using connecting blocks. Ask questions like: How tall was the shortest bear? The tallest? How many bears were the same height? Try this with different stuffed animals another day.

10. Park Your Vehicle

Provide some matchbox toy cars or similar. Tape a number on the roof of each vehicle. Put out a large piece of cardboard where you have drawn and numbered “parking spaces.” Kids can have some driving fun as they “park” their numbered small vehicles in their corresponding numbered parking spaces.

11. Domino Match-Up

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

Matching countable sets with a number is a good early math skill. Here’s one way to do it. Students will use dominoes to match the values of numbered cards laid out on the floor or table. There will be several different dominoes with different combinations that will match up with each number card. For example, a number card with 6 can be matched with dominoes that have 4/2, 3/3, or 5/1.

12. Ice Tray Mirror

Patterns are the foundation of a lot of mathematics, and kids begin to notice them early on. Make an arrangement/pattern of colored circles on a prepared guide sheet. Provide students with the same color cotton balls or pom-poms. Students will use their finger, or tongs or tweezers for even more fun, to mirror the arrangement or pattern set for them by placing them in an empty ice cube tray.

13. Animal Race to 10

Pair up students and give them an un-numbered 10-space grid. Also have them each pick a small plastic animal from a set you can easily find at the dollar store. Players roll a die and move their animal that many spaces on the grid. BUT to get to the 10th and last space, they must roll the exact number.

14. Hungry Monsters

This activity has kids sorting and then building. First, create the “monsters” by gathering four or five lunch-size paper bags. Use card stock in colors that will match the colors of the blocks, LEGO bricks, or cubes. Make “monster” faces with googly eyes, markers, pencils, and other craft materials. Attach the monster face onto the paper bags, then cut out a mouth of a size the blocks can fit through.

Now the kids will feed the monsters blocks by matching the block color to the monster face color. Once all the blocks have been fed to the monsters, the students will empty the “monster bag,” count the blocks, and build something of their choice with that color block.

15. City Skyline

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

Provide students with a set of cards with single-digit numbers on them and a set of building blocks. The students will lay out the cards in a row on the table and for each number make a tower using that corresponding number of blocks right next to the card. When introducing the activity, start with four or five cards, then after some experience, add more cards with even higher numbers.

16. Tube Tower Drop

Gather several paper towel and toilet tissue tubes. Stand them upright and write a number on each one. Students will drop small objects—counting bears, blocks, etc.—into the tubes according to the number on the tube. When finished, have a partner help check by counting together.

17. Musical Dot Stop

This activity focuses on comparisons using the math vocabulary words “more” and “less.” On paper plates, stamp or draw colored circles using two different colors. The number of circles should be easy for your students to count. Every student gets a paper plate. Then start the music. Students begin to walk or bop around the room until the teacher stops the music. Then students find someone nearby to pair up with. They compare their paper plates, counting dots and comparing which one has more and which one has less. The teacher asks each pair to verbalize what they found out, and then the music and march starts again.

18. Uno Number Match-Up

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

Learning to recognize numbers is a key early math objective. Here’s one of the simple preschool math games to practice that idea. Get a small number of Uno game cards—start with eight and put in matching pairs. Turn the cards face down and let pairs of students take turns flipping over two cards per turn hoping for a match. You can either play so that when they get a match, their turn is over, or when they get a match, they go again.

19. Shape Hunt

Draw the shapes you want your student to practice on separate sheets of card stock. You can also write the shape name. Spread these out on the floor. Have the students hunt in the room for items that are that shape, and put the items on or near that corresponding shape sheet.

20. I Can Hear the Patterns

You can see patterns, you can make patterns, and you can also hear patterns. Using clapping, tapping, and snapping fingers, the teacher/leader sounds out a pattern and the kids follow along and join in. For example, you might do three claps, two taps on the floor, three claps, two taps on the floor. After everyone joins in successfully, stop and ask someone to describe the pattern in words. Extend the patterns when the students seem ready for more complex ones. Then let students take a turn leading.

21. Shape Patterns

Discuss with students how a pattern always repeats. Red, blue is not a pattern until it repeats. On the whiteboard, draw a pattern using shapes. For example, you might draw square, square, square, circle, square, square, circle. Have students come up and draw the continuation of the pattern. Make the patterns more complex when students seem ready for more complex patterns.

This can also be done with colors (of the same shape). For example, draw dots on the board: blue, green, green, red; blue, green, green, red, and have students come up and continue the pattern.

22. Listen and Build Patterns

In this activity, students physically record a listening pattern with blocks. Gather the class in a circle. Explain that you will clap and snap a pattern and that students will make it in front of them using blocks. A blue block is a clap. A red block is a snap. If you make a pattern that is clap, snap, clap, snap, students would put out blue, red, blue, red. Put a pile of blocks in the center. Clap and snap a pattern while the students build it. When done, ask students to explain why they built the pattern they did. Try a few more and then let students take turns leading.

23. Empty Your Cup

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

This activity emphasizes counting but also lays the foundation for subtraction. Supplies needed are two same-size plastic cups (large blue or red are perfect), a single die, and the same number of small items (counting bears, building blocks, etc.) that will fit in each cup. Pairs of students take turns rolling the die and removing that many items from their cup. Whoever empties their cup first wins.

24. People Position Patterns

Give each student two sheets of paper. Have them draw two pictures, one of someone standing and one of someone sitting. Urge students to keep the drawings simple. Gather all the sheets and put them in a pile face down. Have a student turn over the top three sheets, and the class will form that pattern. For example, if the pictures show “stand, stand, sit,” students will form a line and the first two students will stand and the third will sit. Students 4 and 5 will stand and student 6 will sit. Continue the pattern with all the students.

25. Picture Frame Patterns

Provide each student with a large sheet of construction paper (the color doesn’t matter) and a glue stick. Put a large number of shapes cut from different colors of construction paper in the center of the table. Ask students to create a pattern around the edge of their sheet of construction paper with two colors or two shapes to form a frame. In the middle of the frame, draw a picture. If you work small, you can make several of these with different frame patterns.

26. Follow That Pattern

Give each student a prepared card or strip of card stock with a pattern on it. The pattern could be of shapes (all the same color) or the pattern could be only colors (all the same shape). Give students a whiteboard or other erasable surface to copy the pattern and continue it.

27. Numeral Writing

Draw a numeral several times on the board. Instruct very specifically exactly how the numeral is drawn. Students use their pointer finger to trace the number in the air, then trace it on their palm, and then on their desks, repeating the teacher’s specific instructions out loud. Then give each student a paper plate with rice, salt, or sand to trace in. Continue to practice. Allow students to take turns “giving the instructions” to the class on how to write the numeral.

28. Follow That Pattern With Blocks

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

Show the class a pattern you’ve made using different-colored connecting blocks. Give the students blocks and ask them to reproduce that pattern and continue it. Once they’ve shown mastery of this, have students create their own pattern using eight blocks. Collect these and put them in a box. Students take turns pulling these out of the box, bringing them to their seats, and using more blocks to continue the pattern.

29. More Numeral Writing

Pair students up. They’ll need two sets of cards, one with a numeral written on it and the other with a corresponding number of dots. They’ll also need a variety of ways to write the numerals, like chalk and blackboard, markers and whiteboard, salt/sand/rice trays, or shaving cream on the desk. (Students should be given some free exploratory time with the shaving cream. Then the rules and behavior for shaving cream will have to be explained because it is very easy to get distracted by but so motivating!) One student in the pair holds up either a numeral card or a dot card and the other student says the number and writes it the way the teacher has instructed. Students take turns going back and forth as number caller and “recorder.”

30. What’s in the Box? Sort

Give each student a box containing three different types of items like crayons, markers, pencils, sorting bears, Popsicle sticks, or erasers. Tell the students to make three groups, each group having the same type of item. The teacher or a partner checks, then puts the items back in the box and passes the box to the person on their right. Repeat this several times.

If you loved these preschool math games, be sure to check out these Simple and Fun Preschool Science Experiments and Activities.

Plus, get all the latest teaching tips and ideas when you sign up for our free newsletters!

Bob Krech, M.S.Ed.

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August 23, 2024
20 Dice Games Teachers and Students Will Love
There’s something about dice that kids like. They’re very hands-on, and there’s the fun of rolling them for whatever reason. They’re also easy to understand. You don’t even need to recognize numerals, you just need to be able to count dots. And there are so many games to play with dice! Here are 20 easy-to-understand, fun dice games to help your students learn various math concepts while rolling along and having some fun.

1. Getting To Know You

Looking for dice games to use at the beginning of the school year? This game doubles as an icebreaker. Use one die and a sheet with six numbered questions on it. Each number on the die will correspond to a question. The questions help students get to know one another. You can prepare them beforehand, or they can be generated by the class. Players take turns rolling the die. Whatever number comes up, they answer the corresponding question, then pass the die to the right. If you get the same number twice, you can roll again or just share one other interesting fact about yourself. Some sample questions:
- Which fictional character would you like as a friend?
- If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
- If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
2. Climb the Mountain

Students play in pairs and share three dice. Each player needs a piece of paper with a mountain drawn on it with numbers 1 through 18 written along the mountain edge.

Players take turns rolling the dice and using the numbers that come up to make addition or subtraction problems whose answers are numbers on the mountain. Make as many as you can from your roll. The answer numbers on the mountain are crossed out with each turn and then the other player goes. The player whose mountain is empty of numbers first is the winner.

To make it more challenging, the players must create problems that give the numbers on the mountain in order.

3. Dice Battle

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

Pair up students with two pairs of dice each and a collection of small items (counting bears, blocks, pom-poms, etc.). Both players roll their dice and add their own up. Whoever has the highest answer takes an item from the other player. The battle can end when one player has no items left, after a set number of battles, after a set amount of time, or when the teacher calls “battles over.”

4. Coin Roll

Students can work independently or with a partner in this activity. They’ll need a pair of dice and a sheet with three columns: The first column shows the two dice as rolled for each turn. The second column will show the total value of both dice numbers. The third column will show the coins that can be used for that money value.

For example, you roll a 6 and a 3. You draw the die in column 1. In the second column, you write 6 + 3 = 9, and in the third column, you write the fewest coins you could use to make that amount. In this case, a nickel and four pennies.

5. Going to Boston

Looking for classic dice games? Try Going to Boston. It can be played by two or three players. Students will need three dice and a sheet to record their totals in each round. To decide who goes first, let them each roll a single die, and whoever rolls the highest number goes first.

A player rolls all three dice, and the highest number die is put aside. The player now rolls the two remaining dice, takes the higher of those two, and puts it aside. Finally, they roll the last die, then put it aside.

The player adds up all three dice, and that is their total for that round. Record the total for that player on the sheet. Now it’s the next player’s turn to do the same.

If there is a tie in a round, the tying players roll all three dice again. Play a set number of rounds until the time is up. Add up the totals from each round to determine the winner of the game. If at the end of these dice games, there is a tie, the tying players roll all three dice again.

6. Rolling to Six

This number-sequence game is played in pairs. Each player gets a single die. They both roll their die, and when a player rolls a 1, the game begins. From that 1, that player continues to roll until they get a 2, then 3, continuing to 6. The other player must also roll a 1 and continue rolling to get numbers 2 through 6. Whoever reaches 6 first is the winner.

7. Roll and Tell

This is a fun way of talking about a story or book you’ve just read. This dice game can be done with the whole class or in groups. After reading a book, show students the chart with the dice and corresponding questions:
1. What was the book mainly about?
2. Who were the main characters?
3. What was the problem in the story?
4. Where and when does the story take place?
5. How was the problem solved?
6. What was your favorite part of the story?
Have a student roll the die, and the student or the group will answer that number question. Make up your own questions that work best for your students.

8. Fives and Twos

This addition game can be played in pairs or in small groups. All that is needed is five dice and a sheet to record players’ totals for each round.

A player rolls all five dice at the same time. If a 5 or a 2 is rolled, put those aside. The player continues to roll the remaining dice until all dice show a 5 or 2. The players then add their dice up on the recording sheet. Whoever has the highest score for the round is the winner.

9. Fishing Boat Catch

Five dice are needed for this game. A player will roll all five dice at the same time, up to three times, to get a 6 for the Boat, a 5 for the Captain, and a 4 for the Crew. Those are required to go fishing! Once those three are rolled, the Catch is the total of the remaining two dice. (If the 6, 5, and 4 are not rolled after three attempts, the next player rolls.)

Then it’s the next player’s turn. When everyone has had a turn, the player with the highest Catch wins.

10. Don’t Break the Ice

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

Provide each player with a plastic cup and use a rubber band to secure a tissue across the opening. Players will also need a toothpick, one die, and small objects (counting bears, LEGO, connecting blocks). Each player takes a turn rolling the dice. If a 2 to 6 is rolled, poke that number of holes in the tissue. If a 1 is rolled, put one of the small objects on the tissue, or if a player’s items fall into the cup, they are out of the game! Continue playing until all the players are out.

11. Perimeter Roll

Pairs of players will need a pair of dice, graph paper, and one colored pencil each (two different colors). A player rolls the dice and uses the two numbers to draw a box that length and width on the graph paper using their colored pencil. For example, if you roll a 3 and a 5, the perimeter will be 3 + 5 +3 + 5. Draw that rectangle using the colored pencil. (Players can color it in.) The next player does the same and draws their box on the graph paper in their color.

Once there is no more room on the graph paper to add any more boxes, the game is over. Players then compute the area of their own boxes and add them up. The player with the most area is the winner.

12. Roll a Funny Face

Engage your artistic students with dice games that incorporate drawing. To play this one, create a chart that has:
- Six boxes across the top of the chart, each one with a dice dot amount 1 through 6.
- Six boxes along the left side of the chart, each one with the terms “Turn 1: face shape, Turn 2: eyes, Turn 3: nose, Turn 4: mouth, Turn 5: ears, Turn 6: hair.”
- Inside the chart across from each Turn, draw choices of those features: different shapes, types of faces, eyes, noses, etc., in silly cartoon designs or animal-like styles.
As the players roll their single die, they will have to read and follow the chart to draw the funny face on a sheet of paper with crayons, markers, or colored pencils.

For example, on Turn 1, you roll a 4, find the face shape for a 4, and draw that face shape. Turn 2, roll a 6, find the eyes for a 6, and draw those eyes.

This can be done independently, in pairs, or in groups. It’s fun to see the final results.

13. Roll and Add to 100

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

Pairs of players will need a 100s chart, a pair of dice, and a crayon, marker, or colored pencil (different from each other).

Players roll the dice, add the two numbers together, put an “X” on that spot on the chart, then move ahead that many spaces and put another “X” on that one. Then it is the other player’s turn.

For example, the first player rolls 3 and 5. They put a blue X on 8, then move ahead eight more spaces and put another blue X on 16. That ends that turn. Now it’s the next player’s turn.

Continue playing until one player reaches 100.

14. Don’t Roll a One!

Pairs of players will need a pair of dice and a sheet of lined paper to tally their rolls.

Each player rolls the dice, adds up the total, and records using tally marks. The player can continue to roll the two dice and add up as many times as they like in each turn, stopping when ready, keeping in mind that if they roll a 1, they lose all the points from that turn.

Winning can be determined by a given total number/score, the number of rounds, or a time limit.

15. Point Number

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

Pairs of students will need a pair of dice and a sheet of lined paper to tally their scores. Each player rolls the dice. The player with the higher number will go first, and the player with the lower number will roll again to set the “Point Number.”

Once the Point Number is set, the first player rolls both dice. If the point number was rolled, the player gets one point. If double the Point Number was rolled, the player gets two points. No points are scored unless they are the Point Number or double the Point Number.

The first player to get 11 points wins.

16. Roll a High Quotient

Playing in pairs or small groups, students will need three dice and a sheet of paper to record answers.

To play, a player rolls the three dice and chooses two of them to be the double-digit dividend and the third one to be the divisor. The object is to make the largest quotient possible. Each player records their quotients and adds them up at the end of the game. If a quotient comes out evenly, with no remainder, that player gets a bonus of 10 extra points. If there is a remainder, write that down, but do not use it in the final tally. The player with the highest total wins.

For example, you roll 2, 4, and 6. Use 6 and 4 to be the dividend 64 and use 2 to be the divisor. 64 divided by 2 equals 32. That’s your score.

17. Make a Run

This is one of the dice games that can be played with two or more players. Players will need six dice and a sheet of paper to record scores.

A player rolls all six dice and tries to make a “run.” A run is any number in sequence, including odd/even numbers, and multiples. You need at least three numbers in sequence to be considered a run. For each number in the run, a player earns five points. A die can only be used in one run. But a player can create more than one run in a turn. Play until a player reaches 100 points.

For example, a player rolls 2, 4, 6, 3, 3, 1. A possible run could be 1, 2, 3, 4 (in sequence), scoring 20 points, and 3, 6 (multiples), scoring 10 points for a total of 30 points in that round.

18. Add Then Multiply

Sarah Cason for We Are Teachers

Pairs of players need three dice and a sheet to record scores (and possibly some calculations). On their turn, a player will roll all three dice, adding two of them together and multiplying by the third one. Each player records their score for each round on the sheet. At the end of the game, players will add up the scores from all their rounds. Highest score wins. For example, if you roll 3, 4, and 2, you could add 2 and 4 together and get 6. You would then multiply 6 by the remaining number, 3, so 6 x 3 = 18.

Play can go to a certain score, a certain number of rounds, or a set amount of time.

19. Ten Multiples

This can be played in pairs or small groups. Provide one pair of dice for the players to share and a sheet of paper for each player.

A player rolls the two dice and adds them together. They use that sum as the first in a series of 10 multiples of that sum. For example, if you roll a 3 and a 4, the sum is 7. The multiples of 7 are: 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63, and 70.

The teacher can decide at some point to have students do this orally rather than on paper.

20. Fishy Addition or Multiplication

Each student will need crayons or colored pencils and a prepared sheet with outlines of fish (teacher is to decide on that number) and a sum or product written on the fish. The numbers will be determined by whether the skill is addition or multiplication.

A student rolls the dice, adds or multiplies the two numbers, and colors in the fish that corresponds to the answer.

For even more fun like these dice games, here are some clever ways to use dice-in-dice.

Plus, keep up with all the latest teaching tips and ideas when you subscribe to our free newsletters!
Bob Krech, M.S.Ed.

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August 22, 2024
Free Play Money Printable Bundle (All US Bills and Coins)
Kids have a natural interest in money so that’s half the battle in learning about it! It’s also always a good idea when learning new math concepts to use a hands-on approach. With this Play Money Printable Bundle, you can get your class involved and learning in a very motivational, hands-on way.

First, fill out the form on this page to grab your free printable Play Money Bundle. Then check out the activities below.

The printables include all of the paper and coin money denominations, from $100 bills all the way down to pennies, which can be printed front-to-back to create realistic play currency.

Classroom Activity Ideas Using Printable Play Money

After you get your free money printables, try some of the games below with your students. Plus, check out even more of our money skills activities.

Coin ID Guessing Game

Introduce coins by passing out a set of the coin printables to each student. Discuss the characteristics of each one, such as name, color, size, who and/or what is depicted on the coin, and the value.

Then say, “We are going to play a guessing game. I will tell you three clues about a coin. When you think you know which coin it is, raise your hand.”

Have students take turns guessing all the coins in the set. Then have them take turns giving clues to the class with all printables put away. This game could also be played by guessing bills.

Skip-Count Practice

Coin counting has at its foundation skip-counts. Have each student take out their set of coins and bills. Ask them first to put out a row of 10 pennies. Count them aloud together by ones.

Then have students put out a row of 10 nickels. Skip-count these by fives. Then do the same thing with dimes, quarters, half-dollars, and dollars.

After this practice, give some mixed-count examples. For example, put out a row of five dimes followed by five nickels. Skip-count together by tens and then switch to fives. Try various combinations.

Invite students to pair up and create rows of combinations for each other to try. This is great practice for learning to count money!

Trading Game

This is a classic game, but kids still love it.

Put play coins and/or bills in the middle of a small group of four or five students. Players take turns rolling one die and taking that much money from the pile. For example, roll a 4, take 4 pennies; roll a 6, take 6 pennies or a nickel and a penny.

Once a player has enough to exchange or trade up to a larger-value coin, they should. For example, 5 pennies are traded for a nickel; 2 nickels for a dime. If a player has 7 pennies, they can trade 5 of them for a nickel, keeping the 2 other pennies.

The game can end at different points:
- Time goal: At the end of 15 minutes (or whenever the teacher calls time to end the game), kids count up their money. Whoever has the most money wins.
- Money goal: The first player to trade up to $1 (or another decided amount) is the winner.
How Much Is Here?

Give students a whiteboard or a sheet of paper. Display a coin or bill. Ask students to write the name of the denomination (e.g., penny, nickel, dollar bill, etc.) and the value. Check responses together.

Follow this by displaying three coins and/or bills (same or different). Students write the value of each, then add the values and write the total amount on the whiteboard or paper.

Can You Buy It?

From store flyers, online, magazines, or another source, copy and cut out pictures of some items kids are interested in, like food, snacks, toys, school supplies, etc. Write a money value on each one, from 5 cents to $4. Then hold up an item and ask students to use their play money to show the price of the item.

Match the Money Puzzles

Get a set of index cards. On one half of a card, tape or glue a coin or group of coins. On the other half (same side), write the value. Cut the card in half using different shapes of cutting lines, as with a puzzle. Make 10 or 12 of these. Students can help make them too.

Mix the card pieces up and give them to an individual student or a group of students. Have them work to put the puzzle pieces together to complete the puzzle. Then trade puzzle sets among groups.

Want your free Play Money Printable Bundle?

We Are Teachers

Just fill out the form on this page for immediate access!
Bob Krech, M.S.Ed.

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July 25, 2024
41 Best Board Games and Other Games for Kids, According to Teachers

Whether it’s cooperation, strategy, academics, or just fun, there’s a game for that! From classic to brand-new, here are 41 of the best board games and other games for kids. These games also make for great classroom play staples for indoor recess, centers, and skill building. And they’re great gifts for family nights and ways to occupy kids on rainy days at home.

Cooperative Games for Kids

These games challenge kids to work together to achieve a goal or complete a task.

Amazon

1. Outfoxed!

This is a classic whodunit where students work together to figure out which fox stole the pie. It’s a combination of strategy and cooperation and will never be the same game twice.

Teacher review: “I love this game. I’ve been teaching first grade for 25 years and I think this is one of my favorite games for my students (and I have HUNDREDS). The kids catch on quickly and absolutely LOVE this game. It’s one of their favorites!”

Buy it: Outfoxed!

Amazon

2. Camelot Jr.

Create paths between the princess and the knight with these 48 puzzles of increasing difficulty. The classroom bonus of this logic game (along with Castle Logix, Three Little Piggies, and Little Red Riding Hood from the same company) is in the built-in flexibility. This is one of the best puzzle games for elementary students and beyond, as students can work alone or with peers, progress through the series at their own pace, and check their own answers.

Parent review: “Probably my favorite game my almost 5-year-old twins got this Christmas. They quickly learned how to set up and work through the challenges. Love also that they can play alone or problem solve together.”

Buy it: Camelot Jr.

Amazon

3. Hedbanz

This fancy version of the “What am I?” game is hilarious and a language booster. Use the cards provided or make your own to review vocabulary or content information.

Family review: “I gave this to my nephew (6) and niece (4) and the whole family enjoyed it. It doesn’t require reading skills, all clues are pictures of kid-recognizable items and the little ones can play along with the ‘big kids.’ Good time for everyone.”

Buy it: Hedbanz

Amazon

4. Rivers, Roads & Rails

Players create a growing map by matching tiles that include rivers, roads, and train track routes. We love leaving this out as a “community game” for students to stop by and play a few turns during a free moment. It is an excellent extension during a mapping unit too.

Teacher review: “Many different ways to play this game. There are easier versions and more difficult ones. You can play it using colors, shapes, or both. A good beginner game. I use it in my kindergarten classroom and we play the more difficult game, using shapes and colors together. Easily learned.”

Buy it: Rivers, Roads & Rails

Amazon

5. Sloth in a Hurry

If you’re looking for simple board games for kids that offer both structure and fun, try this one. This game of classroom charades awards participants for creativity in acting out silly scenarios. It’s easily adaptable for team play during a whole-class brain break.

Teacher review: “Lovely game, great concept. My young students love the spinner. 3rd time playing they have solved it as much as possible. Beautiful product, simple game.”

Buy it: Sloth in a Hurry

Amazon

6. Ice Cool

Students flick and spin penguins through a game course made from nesting cardboard boxes. Up to three students must race around the board to collect fish from various locations, while another student is the hall monitor who tries to bump the penguins and win their fish. The students racing can work together to collect fish and out-spin the hall monitor.

Teacher review: “I have never played a game like this. The graphics are cute, the game takes some skill but you can still win even when you’re not very good at it. Rules are not very complicated, but you have to do a practice game while you explain the rules. You flick weeble-wobble player pieces from room to room (cardboard boxes that attach together firmly and quickly) and either collect fish pieces or try to catch the other players. A round of the game with three players might take about 15 to 25 minutes. My 5th grade students go crazy for this game.”

Buy it: Ice Cool

Amazon

7. Gnomes at Night

In this cooperative maze game, players work as a team to maneuver a gnome around the maze. The trick is they have to move quickly to find the thief who stole the queen’s treasures.

Teacher review: “Everyone loved this game at Xmas family functions, from 5 to 70. Bought it as a joke for my boyfriend, who turns into an amazing gnome at Halloween. Turns out it’s a great team & language building tool. Can’t wait to take it to school as an educational game for 1st-5th graders. Love that is cooperative and no one is a loser.”

Buy it: Gnomes at Night

Amazon

8. Karuba

Each player has an island-shaped game board. The players choose how to set up the adventure figures and temples. Then, a lead adventurer selects and calls out which tiles to use for each turn. Players decide whether to place the tile on the board or redeem it to move an adventurer toward the temple. There are special tiles that kids can land on along the way for gems or gold pieces.

Teacher review: “Definitely different from most board games. Nice quality, easy to learn. My students enjoyed it. Game is short enough to play in short amount of time.”

Buy it: Karuba

Amazon

9. Express Your Feelings Memory Match Game

Looking for SEL games for the kids in your classroom? Build memory skills and explore diverse feelings with this fun, interactive memory game! The Express Your Feelings Memory Match Game features a wide variety of expressive faces that reflect how emotions can look and feel different.

Teacher review: “Picked this up to reinforce facial identification and emotion labeling for a child with autism. It seems to support some of our therapy goals in a playful way. I like that there are two ways to match for play. Only con is some of the expressions or labeled emotions are a little obscure/a stretch imo, but we have no problem finding something else appropriate to label them alternatively.”

Buy it: Memory Match

Strategy Games for Kids

These games require kids to think through different approaches and ways of solving a problem or completing the game.

Amazon

10. Blokus Trigon

A take on the original Blokus version (for up to four players), this allows even more students to play. Be the player to get as many of your pieces onto the board before being blocked.

Teacher review: “My 12-year-old son and I play this game a lot. I work with high school students and they enjoy playing this too.”

Buy it: Blokus Trigon

Amazon

11. Rush Hour

Here’s another well-loved logic puzzle game that students can play alone or with peers. We love having this on hand for kids who need an extra challenge.

Teacher review: “I am a high school math teacher, and I find that the Rush Hour game is great even for older kids! Although they might scoff, they are in fact fascinated by it and keep challenging each other. And if teenagers can’t break it, I don’t know who can.”

Buy it: Rush Hour

Amazon

12. Mastermind

Whether you’ve held onto a vintage set or you want to snag the newer version with updated colors, this code-making-and-breaking game is a perennial favorite for indoor recess or kids who finish their work early.

Teacher review: “I used to play this game with my son who has Asperger’s syndrome. It’s a fun game and I think it builds brain function. 20 years later, I’m a 7th grade (12 yrs. old) teacher and my students play it during free time. They get to pick from 7 different games and this one always goes first. They love it!”

Buy it: Mastermind

Amazon

13. Brix

This Connect 4 and tic-tac-toe hybrid requires no setup and encourages kids to think one step ahead. Stack X and O blocks to try to get a row of four—but with different colors and symbols on each block face, students need to be careful their move doesn’t inadvertently win the game for their opponent.

Teacher review: “Fun and easy game to learn … use it in my classroom, ordered 2, students really like it.”

Buy it: Brix

Amazon

14. Planet

This strategy game also builds geography and environmental knowledge. In Planet, kids build an ecosystem from scratch. Each person has a 12-sided three-dimensional “planet” that they add terrain to and collect animal cards for.

User review: “Planet is a fun game. Basically, you’re trying to create a world that has the most of your element and also attract lots of different animals based on what environment they need. Built on a fun concept, fairly easy to learn, and stays fun. WARNING: Don’t play this game if you don’t like strategy. Probably 70% to 90% strategy.”

Buy it: Planet

Amazon

15. Tetris

If you want to engage kids who love video games, try this low-tech board game version of Tetris. Students have to think through a strategy for completing their Tetris board while also thinking about what other students are going to choose.

Teacher review: “I bought a bunch of rainbow-colored games to spice up my review games for my students. They have to read and spell a word before playing their turn in a game. I bought the rainbow Tetris game and the rainbow Jenga. I call it rainbow review day and the students love them.”

Buy it: Tetris

Amazon

16. Battleship

The classic game of coordinates and planning ahead is fun to play and even more fun to win! Be the first to sink your opponent’s battleship.

Teacher review: “I am a middle school teacher and bought this for school to be played during an end-of-the-day activity period. As expected, it’s a hit. The newer design isn’t flimsy like I feel some newer games have become—there’s a little initial setup (punching out plastic boats and dividing up the pegs between 2 boards), but after that, it’s smooth sailing (pun intended). It’s a great game for a variety of ages, easy to catch on, fun to play, and keeps kids occupied a while. I am as much a fan as I was when I played as a kid!”

Buy it: Battleship

Academic Games for Kids

These are some of the best board games and other games to get kids practicing reading, math, and content knowledge while playing together.

Amazon

17. Proof!

Here’s a great option that allows advanced and upper elementary students to sharpen their mental math skills. Players create equations hidden among nine number cards.

Teacher review: “It’s a bit expensive on a teacher salary, but my students absolutely love it! What’s best is it’s automatically differentiated because they do what they are able to do!”

Buy it: Proof!

Amazon

18. Time-Telling Game

Games and puzzles from EeBoo always win for visual appeal, but this one also scores high for being educational. Tackle a skill that all kids need to learn in a fun and engaging way. Adaptable for telling time to the hour, half hour, five minutes, and a minute—this is a ready-made math center. If you’re looking for board games that teach kids how to tell time, give this one a try.

Teacher review: “Fun game! Used in my 2nd grade classroom. Kids loved it!”

Buy it: Time-Telling Game

Amazon

19. Apples to Apples Junior

Players must match noun cards to relevant adjective cards. This is one of our fave games for vocabulary development, especially for ELL students. It’s simple to customize it to utilize words you want to target too.

Teacher review: “I bought this for my classroom. Since the cards are all kept in one box, it is hard for my students to keep the green and red cards separate when cleaning them up. Otherwise, this is a great game for kids.”

Buy it: Apples to Apples Junior

Amazon

20. Scrabble

Do your students a favor and introduce them to this classic word-lover’s pastime. Kids can play with each other or join forces to beat the teacher.

Teacher review: “I teach English overseas and Scrabble is a great way to teach/reinforce vocabulary; students enjoy it too.”

Buy it: Scrabble

Amazon

21. Dixit

This unique storytelling game is an awesome addition to the ELA classroom. Players must describe fantastical cards in creative ways and decipher the descriptions of others. We love how this game can give striving readers and writers the chance to shine creatively.

Teacher review: “I use this game with a small group of gifted students and it is amazing. Will get some expansion packs to keep interest high. The cards are beautiful art in and of themselves.”

Buy it: Dixit

Amazon

22. Guess in 10

These card games are like 20 Questions (well, 10 questions) with themes. There are Guess in 10 games for animals, states, and American cities. Students combine questioning skills with recalling facts, and they build knowledge about whatever topic they’re asking about.

Teacher review: “When we combine end-of-the day free time with kindergarten, a teacher and I go head-to-head with 2 or 3 students on our teams. The kids love it. Some kids outshine the adults. Great times with lots of laughs.”

Buy it: Guess in 10 Animal Planet

Amazon

23. Ticket to Ride

A lesson on geography and a board game? Count me in! Connect iconic North American cities across a map of 20th-century USA and build your train routes to earn points.

Teacher review: “A totally enjoyable game! I bought it to play with my family and with my ESL students – works well in both cases! Absolutely worth it! Will probably buy TTR Europe as well.”

Buy it: Ticket to Ride

Amazon

24. Top Trumps

Capitalize on kids’ love of trading cards with this card game that allows students to choose the statistic that will “trump” opponents. Decks come in many topics, from Harry Potter to geography to dogs. Don’t see a deck on the topic you want? Once they know the game, kids love to create their own decks too.

Teacher review: “Great easy, fun game for students and families. I use them both in school (and during distant learning—great facts and fun for students to use) and at home. Easy car game for family trips (teens even join in and enjoy). Great way to incorporate social play and learning with students. Fun way to get students to learn and compare while thinking they are just playing a game. Many students after playing a topic want to gather more information about the various topics!”

Buy it: Top Trumps Card Game

Traditional Games for Kids

These classic board games are fun and teach kids all the social skills (taking turns, patience, how to win and lose) one round at a time.

Amazon

25. Trouble

The Pop-o-Matic bubble is what makes this game so much fun! Be the first to get your player around the board to win.

Teacher review: “I purchased this for students and it’s always being used during our Friday advisory … look out, Uno, here comes Trouble! Haha.”

Buy it: Trouble

Amazon

26. Operation

Teaching an anatomy lesson? It’s time to break out the Operation game! Cavity Sam is under the weather, but students can make him feel better again.

Teacher review: “My students liked this game but were rough with it. This one had to find a home at the house to take a break. I grew up playing this game with my siblings and one of them was my brother who could not be beat, but he taught me some tricks to get the pieces out without setting off the buzzer.”

Buy it: Operation

Amazon

27. Monopoly Builder

This is a different spin on the classic Monopoly game. Here players buy property and physically stack buildings with the building blocks. It’s one of the best board games for elementary students that teaches money and negotiation skills.

User review: “Most Monopoly games take a long time to play. Not this one. It was easy to learn and fun to play and doesn’t take an hour or more to play. I like that we can sit down for half hour-ish and get through a game. Gives time together without taking away half a day.”

Buy it: Monopoly Builder

Amazon

28. Clue

This classic game involves strategy and deductive reasoning to figure out whodunit.

Teacher review: “Students are fascinated by the game. Needs more notepads or a downloadable template to print more!”

Buy it: Clue

Amazon

29. Sorry!

Do you have students who need to learn how to follow directions and both win and lose with grace? Let this old favorite board game do the teaching.

User review: “This classic game never gets old. Even kids who spend hours on their devices will stop to play this oldie but goodie!”

Buy it: Sorry!

Amazon

30. Guess Who?

Make sure to add this to your classroom collection of classic board games for kids. This enduring game is one of our favorites on the list of best board games for elementary classes. Its deductive reasoning builds vocabulary and language skills, and beyond the original cast of characters, there are limitless possibilities for adapting this game to help students review content information. Just replace the cards with pictures related to your curriculum.

Teacher review: “I bought this to use with students. Like other reviewers mentioned, it does feel a little flimsier than other versions. I just laminated the cards to make sure they withstood little hands constantly messing with them!”

Buy it: Guess Who?

New Classics

These games check all the boxes for great games and are sure to become favorites on your game shelf.

Amazon

31. Tenzi

Simple to learn and easy to adapt and extend, Tenzi makes for the perfect classroom math game, especially for kids who love to go fast. Be sure to check out our other favorite dice games for the classroom.

Teacher review: “Bought this for my classroom and my students love it! Can become very competitive!”

Buy it: Tenzi

Amazon

32. Qwirkle

There’s something so satisfying about these smooth wooden tiles. Scale down this attribute-matching game for younger students, or unleash older kiddos to wage full-on strategy battles.

Teacher review: “I played this game in a college class and came to love how it can help develop planning ahead and different math concepts. I teach 6th grade math and my students play when they are done with their work.”

Buy it: Qwirkle

Amazon

33. Q-bitz

Q-bitz is a game of visual perception and speed. Players race to make their set of blocks match the design on the card that’s drawn.

Buy it: Q-bitz

Melissa & Doug

34. Suspend

It takes patience, a steady hand, and thoughtful consideration to place wire pieces on the game structure without toppling it. This is a fun game to connect to STEM explorations of structures or balance.

User review: “Great visuospatial and strategy game for 1 or more players. High-quality pieces and a small storage footprint.”

Buy it: Suspend

Amazon

35. Rhino Hero Super Battle

Players create wobbly towers and bridges, then watch out for spider monkeys and engage in rhino battles. This game will be a favorite during indoor recess.

User review: “This game is amazing. I work with kiddos of many ages and each loves it. This is a well-requested game. It helps with knowing body awareness and thinking through the next step. The spider monkeys make the game just that much more! I would highly recommend.”

Buy it: Rhino Hero Super Battle

Active Games for Kids

Sometimes the best games get kids up and moving. These games are a great way to get kids out of their seats.

Amazon

36. Twister Ultimate

For indoor recess or a movement break, this updated version of the standby group game will get everyone out of their seats and laughing. The larger play mat lets more kids join in the fun!

Teacher review: “I used this in class with students to review the alphabet. I used masking tape to create letters on each of the circles, and then we played like Twister. All in all, great game!”

Buy it: Twister Ultimate

Amazon

37. Throw Throw Burrito

A card game plus dodgeball with toy burritos. Students collect cards, earn points, and throw burritos to win.

Teacher review: “Any reason to throw things at each other! The game gets very competitive and generates lots of laughs. It was great for the last week of school when we were done with curriculum.”

Buy it: Throw Throw Burrito

Amazon

38. The Floor Is Lava!

One of the best games for kids that needs no explanation. Students create Floor Is Lava challenges using the mats and cards.

Teacher review: “I bought this for indoor recess and an end-of-the-year countdown. I teach kindergarten so I was worried about how chaotic it would be … but it was SO MUCH FUN! Any teacher should buy this even if you teach older kids. It is a nice way to take a break and get active!”

Buy it: The Floor Is Lava!

Amazon

39. Tap It!

This game uses four different-colored game pieces that players tap to win. There are four different variations: Each one involves assigning a student a color and then tapping it along with the game—within 60 seconds, in an order, in a pattern, etc. It’s a fun way to improve response time and hand-eye coordination.

Teacher review: “I am a teacher and a mom and I use this game all the time to teach colors, reaction time, direction, and more! I love it.”

Buy it: Tap It!

Amazon

40. Super Skills

This is one of the best award-winning board games for kids. It delivers excitement with its diverse array of challenges where participants can showcase their agility and cleverness through tasks like stacking cups into a pyramid blindfolded, bouncing a ball off a wall and catching it behind their back, or balancing dice on a chopstick.

Teacher review: “I am a teacher and I have two boxes and small classes. The kids teamed up and we used one deck of cards. Each team challenged the others till we had one team winner. We were laughing and really enjoying ourselves. I might start the school year off this way so the kids and start off having laughs.
We really had a lot of fun!”

Buy it: Super Skills

Amazon

41. Beat That!

Players dive into a series of outlandish dexterity-based challenges, where they’ll need to bounce, flip, stack, hop, roll, blow, balance, and catapult their way to the top.

Teacher review: “Super fun game! I used this in my classroom and with my family. The challenges are so much fun for adults and kids! I highly recommend!”

Buy it: Beat That!

What do you think are the best board games for kids? Come and share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out the best board games for preschool.

We Are Teachers Staff

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July 19, 2024
$51 Easy Ways To Make Math Facts Practice Fun and Effective$

51 Easy Ways To Make Math Facts Practice Fun and Effective

Kids have to know their math facts. Practicing them can be fun, even when flash cards are involved, when you use these math facts games and activities. Check out these ideas for engaging kids in practice with hands-on games, center activities, crafts, and online games.

Jump to:

Hands-On Math Facts Activities and Games

Online Math Games

Hands-On Math Facts Activities and Games

Homeschool Preschool

What Do We Do All Day?

2. Roll and multiply

This is a simpler version of Yahtzee, and it’s a cool way to practice multiplication. If you use two dice instead of one, kids can practice their facts up to 12.

Learn more: Fun and Simple Multiplication Dice Game

Games 4 Gains

3. Multiplication Squares

If you’ve ever played Dots and Boxes, this will look familiar. Players roll two dice (try these polyhedral dice to expand the facts in play), and draw a line to connect two dots next to the answer. If they complete a box, they color it in with their own marker.

Learn more: Multiplication Squares Game

Fun Learning for Kids

4. Four in a row

This free printable is completely editable, so you can use it for any type of math facts practice. Kids choose a problem and give the answer. If they get it right, they cover it with their marker. When they get four in a row, they win!

Learn more: Penguin Four in a Row Game

$sticky math game board for a math facts game$
Lucky Little Learners

5. Sticky math

Don’t confuse Sticky Math with timed tests. The goal is just for kids to complete as many problems as possible in a set amount of time, then work to beat that record each time.

Learn more: Sticky Math

Ms. Giraffe’s Class

6. Dice wars

Dice games are fun and versatile! With this one, kids practice their addition facts and get a little work with subitizing too. The concept is so simple: Each player rolls the dice and adds up their numbers. The highest sum wins that round. This is three math facts games in one since you can use it for subtraction and multiplication as well as addition.

Learn more: Fact Fluency

Susan Jones Teaching

7. Math fact grab bags

Fill a variety of bags with collections of small objects. Kids grab a handful from two different bags, then count and add up the results. Be sure they write it all down to get practice at setting up equations. (Try this with subtraction and multiplication facts too.)

Learn more: Addition Grab Bags

Amazon

8. Shut the box

This game has been played for hundreds of years, but it’s a fun and sneaky way to practice addition facts fluency. The goal is to “close” each of the numbers in the box from 1 to 9 by rolling the dice. For instance, if a player rolls 11, they may close 1, 2, 3, and 5, as these add up to 11. If no numbers are available to add up to the dice total, play passes to the next player and continues until someone finally “shuts the box” by closing the last available number. You can play this game as people have for centuries with a specially designed box. You don’t need the box, though; simply have kids write out the numbers 1 through 9 and cross them out as they play.

Buy it: Shut the Box Game at Amazon

Creative Family Fun

9. Math facts war

Each student flips two cards, then adds them (or subtracts or multiplies). The person with the highest total keeps both cards. For a tiebreaker, flip another card. See more rules at the link.

Learn more: Addition War Card Game

The Unlikely Homeschool

10. Egg carton math game

Using an egg carton, have students write the numbers 1 through 12 in the bottom of each depression. Place two marbles inside the egg carton and close the lid. Shake the egg carton, open the top, and then add, subtract, or multiply whichever two numbers the marbles have landed on.

Learn more: Egg Carton Scramble

Games 4 Gains

11. Domino puzzle

Dominoes are perfect for math facts practice! Keep it simple by pulling a domino from a bag, then adding, subtracting, or multiplying the two numbers.

For even more fun, print the free puzzles at the link below. Then start filling in the puzzle one piece at a time by placing a domino that adds up to the number shown in each rectangle. The trick is that regular domino rules still apply, so each number must touch another domino with the same number on that end.

Learn more: Dominoes Math Puzzles

The Sprinkle Topped Teacher

12. Number search

These number search puzzles are harder than they look. First, kids complete the addition facts. Then, they search for those equations in the puzzle. Get three free puzzles at the link, where you can purchase more if you like them.

Learn more: Number Search Math Fact Worksheet

$cards with math facts on them on the floor with a stack of cards in the middle$
The Measured Mom

13. 15 in a row

When it comes down to it, flash cards are still one of the best ways to practice fact fluency. The goal of this flash-card game is to lay out 15 flash cards in a row by the total of their sums (or differences, products, or dividends), from smallest to largest.

Learn more: Flashcard Math Facts Game

Buy it: Math Flash Cards at Amazon

$math facts written on a paper plate$
Creative Family Fun

14. Math facts wheel

All it takes is paper plates, glue, and a marker to help your students learn their math facts. Up the fun factor by having students decorate their plates any way their imagination can dream up!

Learn more: Paper Plate Multiplication Practice Activity

Planning Playtime

15. Whack a ball

You know your elementary math students are going to love this! Build your own whack-a-mole 10-frame with a shoebox and Ping-Pong balls. Then, have kids whack the balls to practice their subtraction facts. So fun!

Learn more: Whack-a-Ball Subtraction Game

Teaching and Tapas

16. Jump on facts

Lay out a grid like the one shown that has the answers to whatever set of math flash cards you’re currently working with. (This teacher used masking tape; you could also do sidewalk chalk on the playground.) Two players face off, one on each side of the board. Show the flash card, and kids race to be the first to jump to the correct square with both feet inside the lines. Get all the rules at the link below.

Learn more: The Doubles Game

There’s Just One Mommy

17. Flash-card race

Tape a series of flash cards to the floor and challenge kids to see who can correctly make their way from start to finish the fastest. They can call out the answers or write them down, but they have to get it right before they move on. Kids can race side by side or work independently to beat their own best time.

Learn more: Active Math Activities

Buy it: Math Flash Cards at Amazon

$drawing of a flower with math facts written on the petals$
Multicultural Motherhood

18. Math fact flower

This is a creative way to teach math facts. Start by drawing the center of a flower and write any number from 1 to 9 in the middle. Next, draw 12 petals around the center, labeling them 1 through 12. Last, draw another 12 petals and write the sum or product of the center number and the petal adjacent to the new petal.

Learn more: Waldorf-Inspired Multiplication Crafts

There’s Just One Mommy

The Kindergarten Smorgasboard

20. Stack math facts

We’re not sure why, but kids simply love stacking cups. Label yours with math problems and answers, then have kids build pyramids and towers galore.

Learn more: Addition and Subtraction Cups

Look! We’re Learning

21. Math fact hopscotch

Draw a winding path and fill the spaces with math equations. Kids roll the dice and move from space to space (have them jump, skip, or twirl to mix things up). If they get the answer right, they move to the new space. If not, their turn is over. Customizable math facts games like this can be used at any level.

Learn more: Outdoor Math Game

Buy it: Sidewalk chalk at Amazon

$fish crackers on a math bingo board for a math facts game$
Kara Creates

22. Math bingo

Math facts bingo is so easy to set up and play. Give kids empty grids and ask them to write various sums, differences, products, or quotients, depending on what you’re working on. Then call out math problems and have them cover the answers. First to fill in a row wins.

Learn more: Multiplication Bingo

Teach Beside Me

23. Math facts checkers

Label a checkerboard with math facts. Play checkers as usual, following the traditional rules. The twist is, you must solve the math problem you land on.

Learn more: Math Checkers

Mr. Elementary Math

24. The name game

This is so clever. Grab some name tags and write math facts on each. Give a tag to each of your students. For the remainder of the day, everyone will refer to one another by the answer to the equation on their tag (e.g., the student with the name tag that says 7×6 would be referred to as “42”).

Learn more: Multiplication Name Tags

Buy it: Name Tag Stickers at Amazon

Playdough to Plato

25. Memory

A classic game for practicing skills, play Memory (also called Concentration) with math facts.

Learn more and get a free printable: Math Fact Memory Game

$twister mat with sticky notes with math problems on them for a math facts game$
Math Geek Mama

26. Math Twister

Who doesn’t love to play Twister? Use stickies to place answers to addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division problems on a standard Twister mat. Write numbers used in the problems on stickies and place them on the spinner. Your students will love getting out of their seats to place their hands or feet on the correct answer!

Learn more: Math Twister

Buy it: Twister game at Amazon

Kids Activities Blog

27. Swat letters

Here’s another great activity for your students who like to learn on the move. Prepare a game board with the answers to the math facts you want to review. Call out the problem, and your students will enthusiastically swat the answer. This can be played with individual students or with two or more as a competition.

Learn more: Super Cool and Fun Math Game

Laura Candler’s Teaching Resources

28. 101 and Out

This exciting game combines strategic thinking and fact mastery. Students roll a die and decide if they want the digit to count as a 1 or a 10, i.e., a roll of 3 could be used as 3 or 30. Students add their results as they go. The winner is the student who gets closest to 101 without going over.

Learn more: 101 and Out

Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

29. Multiplication toy store

In this activity, the teacher sets up a class “toy store” and prices each type of item. Students get to shop and fill out an order form, on which they write the unit price and number of items they wish to purchase. Finally, they multiply the number of items by the price, add it all up, and come up with a grand total.

Learn more: Multiplication Toy Store

Planning Playtime

30. Subtraction bowling

Get 10 empty toilet paper rolls, a ball, and a pencil and paper for keeping score. After setting up the “lane,” students roll the ball, knock down as many pins as possible, then record the result on their scoresheet. For example, 10 – 3 = 7. On the second roll, they start with 7 and subtract the number of pins they knock down on their scoresheet.

Learn more: Subtraction Bowling

Teach Mama

31. Strike it out

This is another great game that combines strategy with mastery of addition and subtraction facts. Students begin by writing a number line from 0 to 20. The first player circles two numbers, then circles the sum or difference of the first two numbers. Player 2 takes the first player’s result, circles another number, then circles the sum or difference of those two numbers. The winner successfully blocks their opponent from being able to complete another problem.

Learn more: Quick and Easy Math Game: Strike It Out!

Laura Candler’s Teaching Resources

32. Back-to-back

This exciting competition is for the entire class. Two students stand back-to-back and write a number on the board that they can see but their opponent can’t. A third student calls out the answer to a math problem using the two numbers, like “the product is 30” or “the sum is 11.” The first student to identify their opponent’s number is the winner!

Learn more: Back 2 Back

Teach Mama

$baseball diamond on a print out with dice$
There’s Just One Mommy

34. Baseball math

Use a printable sheet to turn math into an interactive game of baseball that your classroom will love.

Learn more: Baseball Math

$child with nerf gun shooting at math flash cards$
There’s Just One Mommy

35. Nerf gun math

Set up little targets with math facts to enrich your students’ knowledge of the topic. Then students get to shoot the targets that have the correct answer with a Nerf gun!

Learn more: Nerf Gun Math

There’s Just One Mommy

There’s Just One Mommy

37. Math cootie catcher

As long as your classroom doesn’t get too rowdy trying to mess around with these cootie catcher activities, this is one of the perfect math facts games to get your entire classroom involved, from setting up the actual cootie catchers to playing multiple different games with them.

Learn more: Make Math Fact Practice Fun With Cootie Catchers

$child holding spray bottle and looking at dice$
Kitchen Floor Crafts

38. Sum, Say, and Spray

Write answers to math facts on the sidewalk. Give students water bottles and tell them a math fact. Students say the answer and spray the number to erase it. A great activity for a sunny day.

Learn more: Sum, Say, and Spray Math Game

Boy Mama Teacher Mama

39. Plus 1 minus 1

Start by drawing a card, then add 1 and subtract 1 to/from the amount. You can also play plus 5 minus 5 and plus 10 minus 10.

Learn more and get the free printable: Plus 1 Minus 1 Card Game

I Can Teach My Child

40. Addition pancakes

Make these DIY pancakes and have your students serve up addition problems to one another. The possibilities for these math facts games are endless with this fun format of addition problems.

Learn more: Addition Pancakes

Creative Family Fun

41. Island hopping

Cut out pieces of paper with addition and subtraction problems on them, and spread them across the floor of your room so your students can hop from problem to problem.

Learn more: Math Fact Islands

Online Math Facts Games

ABCya

42. Math Bingo

Who doesn’t love a game of math bingo? This classic online version uses silly monsters as bingo chips.

Play it: Math Bingo

Multiplication.com

43. Cannon Ball

Answer eight multiplication problems before aiming and shooting cannonballs at targets. Students will get their math fact practice in and sharpen their aim.

Play it: Cannon Ball

ABCya

44. Math Lines Multiplication

Aim and shoot dinosaur eggs in a line to solve multiplication problems in this game. The faster you clear the line of balls by solving problems, the more points you earn.

Play it: Math Lines Multiplication

ABCya

Math Playground

46. Kitten Match

In this multi-player game, students solve math facts and steal balls of yarn to win the game.

Play it: Kitten Match

Math Playground

47. Drag Race Division

Race cars, gaining speed when you answer more division problems.

Play it: Drag Race Division

SplashLearn

48. Splash Facts

This game has basic flash cards for practice, which is sometimes just what students need to review without distraction.

Play it: Splash Facts

Mr. Nussbaum

49. The Legend of Multiplico

This game is for more advanced mathematician gamers. The evil Horrefedous has hidden four mythical creatures in a castle. Players defeat enemies to get to the creatures using multiplication and division skills.

Play it: The Legend of Multiplico

Multiplication.com

50. Baseball Pro Multiplication

A good ol’ game of online baseball with math facts. Perfect for spring practice.

Play it: Baseball Pro Multiplication

Multiplication.com

51. Color Dots Division

See how fast you can complete division problems and clear the colored dots in this online game.

Play it: Color Dots Division

What are your favorite ways to practice math facts? Come share in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

To find out when more articles like this are posted, be sure to subscribe to our free newsletters!

We Are Teachers Staff

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May 30, 2024
46 Best Board Games and Card Games for Preschoolers, According to Teachers

Whether they incorporate cards, dice, boards, spinners—or even an adorable cardboard monster and an oversized spoon—games have a host of benefits for young children. Games help children develop academic, spatial, and critical-thinking skills. Some games even provide kids with an opportunity for that oh-so important movement break.

When kids play with their classmates, they practice social-emotional skills like cooperating, taking turns, and being a good sport. Not to mention the good old-fashioned fun in playing games and the nostalgia that teachers will feel, as many of these games were plucked right out of the 1980s and 1990s! Many mainstream games are perfect for the preschool classroom. Check out our list of the best board and card games for preschoolers.

1. Color Go Fish!

Amazon

This classic game is a childhood staple, and these cards are easy on little hands and eyes.

Buy it: Color Go Fish at Amazon

2. Taro Gomi’s Funny Fish Go Fish Card Game

Amazon

Once your students understand the premise of “Go Fish,” treat them to this adorably imaginative version from a favorite illustrator. They’ll love making pairs of “Strawberry Fish,” “Scribble Octopus,” “Lobsterbots,” and more.

Buy it: Taro Gomi’s Funny Fish at Amazon

3. I Spy, Dig In

Amazon

We love that this game works on fine motor skills while also encouraging vocabulary recognition. Kids will love the frantic finding required to match all the objects on their cards!

Buy it: Briarpatch I Spy Game at Amazon

4. Math for Love Tiny Polka Dot

$Box cover and sample cards for the Math for Love Tiny Polka Dot Game with various dot configurations and numbers for children to match as an example of best preschool card games and board games for the classroom$
Amazon

Here’s a year’s worth of math-center activities for you in one cute and tiny box. Sturdy and visually pleasing cards offer tons of possibilities for building number sense. Students can use them to count, match amounts, compare, subitize, and more.

Buy it: Math for Love at Amazon

5. Operation

Amazon

This is the perfect game for older preschoolers since they will need to have good hand-eye coordination to retrieve the pieces.

Buy it: Operation at Amazon

6. Shopping List Memory Game

Amazon

Children race to be the first to fill their shopping baskets with the items on their lists. The board is simple and uncluttered, and the picture-and-word shopping lists encourage the development of concepts about print.

Buy it: Orchard Toys Shopping List Memory Game at Amazon

7. Memory Match Game

Amazon

Preschoolers will feel empowered once they catch on to the principles of this basic memory game. The enticing Popsicle-shaped cards will get them talking about attributes while they play.

Buy it: Memory Game: Summer Camp Edition at Amazon

8. Kerplunk

Amazon

Pull out a stick, but whatever you do, don’t let the marbles fall! You may want to buy an extra set of this game since it’s sure to be a favorite.

Buy it: Kerplunk at Amazon

9. Monkey Around

Amazon

This is one of the best board games for preschoolers because it’s easily adaptable to large-group play. Movement cards ask kids to practice gross motor skills while playing with a fun beanbag banana.

Buy it: Monkey Around: The Wiggle & Giggle Game at Amazon

10. Bunny Bedtime Make-a-Choice Game

Walmart

Help kids learn basic game-playing skills like rolling a die and moving along a path in a familiar context: bedtime! Kids love helping make decisions about how Bunny’s bedtime routine will go.

Buy it: Bunny Bedtime: The Make-a-Choice Game at Walmart.com

11. Scavenger Hunt Cards

Amazon

This is the perfect game for the whole class to play at once since there are enough sturdy scavenger hunt cards to go around. The cards encourage literacy development since they have both pictures and words on each card.

Buy it: MollyBee Kids Scavenger Hunt Cards at Amazon

12. Pete the Cat: The Missing Cupcakes Game

Amazon

Anything with Pete the Cat is an automatic preschool win. To get Pete’s cupcakes back from Grouchy Toad, kids must name objects, sing songs, and act out charades.

Buy it: Pete the Cat: The Missing Cupcakes Game at Amazon

13. Guess Who?

Amazon

The suggested age range is 6 and up, but we feel confident that with a little coaching, older preschoolers will fall in love with this old-school game. It will encourage use of descriptive vocabulary too.

Buy it: Guess Who? at Amazon

14. Zingo!

Amazon

Sliding the card dispenser has a similar appeal to spinning a bingo cage. Zingo supports vocabulary development and print awareness as well as focus—you have to be watching to call out and snag your picture first! Spanish, sight word, number, and word-building versions are also available.

Buy it: Zingo! Bingo With a Zing at Amazon

15. Perfection

Amazon

This game challenges kids to match shapes correctly while also challenging them to race against the clock. Kids will get a kick out of the pieces popping up when time runs out.

Buy it: Perfection at Amazon

16. Pancake Pile-Up!

Amazon

This game works on both patterning and sequencing while also working on balance and coordination. Bonus: You can even use the game pieces for imaginative play in a toy kitchen!

Buy it: Pancake Pile-Up! at Amazon

17. Candy Land

Amazon

This classic game might make adults groan, but we still consider it one of the best board games for preschoolers. Why? Kids can take it out, set it up, and play it by themselves. Cooperation and independence for the win! (Pro tip: Provide a playing card tray for easy management of the draw pile and discards.)

Buy it: Candy Land at Amazon

18. Dominoes

Amazon

Dominoes is a versatile and timeless game for all ages. This set from Melissa and Doug is super-sturdy and gets kids recognizing standard dot formations of numbers 1 through 6.

Buy it: Dominoes at Amazon

19. Hungry Hungry Hippos: Dino Edition

Amazon

No list of best board games for preschoolers would be complete without some version of Hungry Hungry Hippos. We love this particular one since dinosaurs tend to be a favorite for any preschooler!

Buy it: Hungry Hungry Hippos: Dino Edition at Amazon

20. Rat-a-Tat Cat

Amazon

The goal of the game is to have the lowest score when someone calls “Tat-a-tat cat!” This game builds number sense and teaches the concept of zero. If you’d like to encourage conversations about numbers, opt to have students play with their cards turned up and visible.

Buy it: Rat-a-Tat Cat at Amazon

21. Ladybug’s Garden Memory Game

Amazon

Another memory game but this one is just too cute not to include. And kids have to use their motor skills to fit the lady bugs into the holes.

Buy it: Ladybug’s Garden Memory Game at Amazon

22. Heads Talk, Tails Walk

Amazon

In this matching game with a twist, the fun comes when you turn over cards that don’t match! When this happens, players must move like the animal body card and make the sound of the animal head card. Stomping like an elephant while clucking like a chicken is hilarious when you’re a preschooler—or a preschool teacher!

Buy it: Heads Talk, Tails Walk at Amazon

23. Connect 4

Amazon

This is another perfect game for the older preschoolers in your class. Your students will have to use their critical-thinking skills in order to outsmart their opponent and get four in a row.

Buy it: Connect 4 at Amazon

24. Banana Blast

Amazon

Cue the squeals of laughter—kids love the suspense of this game! Remove the bananas one by one to see which one makes the monkey jump. The included puzzle is a nice bonus for friends to make together.

Buy it: Banana Blast at Amazon

25. Frankie’s Food Truck Fiasco

Amazon

Practice matching basic shapes while helping Frankie the Cat create his food truck meals. The real appeal (and sneaky fine motor strength-building) comes from the Frankie-shaped “squeezer” players use to move the game pieces around.

Buy it: Frankie’s Food Truck Fiasco Game at Amazon

26. Colorama

Amazon

Players roll two dice to get a color and a shape and must locate a matching spot on the board. There are multiple levels of play for different groups.

Buy it: Colorama at Amazon

27. Richard Scarry’s Busytown: Eye Found It!

Amazon

This oversized game board gives plenty of room for a group of kids to spy items in the pictures and move ahead on the board. The goal is to get to the picnic before the pigs eat all the food, and everyone has to help!

Buy it: Richard Scarry’s Busytown: Eye Found It! at Amazon

28. Charades for Kids

Amazon

This version of charades is one of the best board games for preschoolers because it’s designed for little kids. Preschoolers need opportunities for movement, and this game provides just that as they have to act out a variety of scenarios. The game also encourages vocabulary development as the cards have both pictures and words.

Buy it: Charades for Kids at Amazon

29. Uno

Amazon

Every kid should learn to play Uno. It’s marketed for ages 7 and up, but the rules are easily adaptable for younger children. With enough practice, they’ll be unleashing the Draw Four cards like pros.

Buy it: Uno at Amazon

30. Hoot Owl Hoot!

Amazon

Players must work together to get the owls back to the nest before sunrise. Color cards, similar to Candy Land, move the owls closer to the goal, but there are a few added twists to make it more interesting.

Buy it: Hoot Owl Hoot! at Amazon

31. Snail’s Pace Race

Target

It’s often the simplest games that are best. Players take turns rolling color dice to see which snails to move in this cooperative game. Which snail will win? Oh, the suspense! Swap out one die with a regular die if you want to speed up the game and encourage number recognition.

Buy it: Snail’s Pace Race at Target

32. Feed the Woozle

Amazon

There are multiple ways to play this silly game. In the simplest version, players roll a die to determine how many pieces of food to “feed” the Woozle. But wait: Walking across the room balancing the food on the spoon adds an extra challenge. Players cooperate so they can satiate the goofy creature’s appetite.

Buy it: Feed the Woozle at Amazon

33. Where’s Bear?

Amazon

Players hide a wooden bear under one of six sturdy nesting blocks decorated as rooms in a house and then try to find him. This game capitalizes on toddlers’ love of hiding things and offers a lot of language-building opportunities. This is perfect for a class of 2-year-olds or a multi-age group in which older students can play the adult role.

Buy it: Where’s Bear? at Amazon

34. Race to the Treasure!

Amazon

This game is our go-to for older preschoolers ready for a bit of strategic play. Players cooperate to create a path to reach the treasure before the ogre does.

Buy it: Race to the Treasure! at Amazon

35. Hi Ho! Cherry-O

Amazon

Kids will have a blast picking pretend fruit from the trees on the preschool game board while they’re practicing math skills such as counting, addition, and subtraction!

Buy it: Hi Ho! Cherry-O at Amazon

36. Don’t Spill the Beans

Amazon

This game requires no reading, so it’s great for young kids. It’s also perfect for improving fine motor skills as kids try to place beans in the jar without tipping it over.

Buy it: Don’t Spill the Beans at Amazon

37. Alphabet Bingo

Amazon

Is there a more classic game than bingo? It definitely deserves a spot on any list of the best board games for preschoolers. This updated version can help kids improve letter recognition, letter and object association, and concentration skills. It’s also a great opportunity for social-skills development and cooperative play.

Learn more: Alphabet Bingo at Amazon

38. Don’t Break the Ice

Amazon

The object of this old favorite is to keep Phillip the Penguin on top of the ice, but as the game goes on, the ice blocks start falling. Kids can work on fine motor skills, problem-solving, and learning to take turns while they have fun!

Buy it: Don’t Break the Ice at Amazon

39. Peppa Pig Chutes and Ladders

Amazon

A forever favorite, Chutes and Ladders is an excellent choice for kids who haven’t yet learned how to read. They’ll have the best time playing this Peppa Pig–themed game while simultaneously improving number recognition.

Buy it: Peppa Pig Chutes and Ladders at Amazon

40. My Feelings

Amazon

Social-emotional learning is particularly important in the pandemic world we have been living in. We love the regulation strategies this game teaches children to help manage their overwhelming feelings.

Buy it: My Feelings Game at Amazon

41. Count Your Chickens

Amazon

This game is perfect for the preschool-aged crowd since it is fast-paced and stresses cooperation over competition. Children as young as 2 can learn skills like turn taking and counting while having fun at the same time.

Buy it: Count Your Chickens at Amazon

42. Grocery Go Karts

Amazon

In this action-packed board game, players stack their groceries on their carts as they race to the checkout line. Preschoolers will work on their fine motor skills since they will be connecting and stacking the various grocery pieces. They will especially love the end when they get to launch their groceries from their carts!

Buy it: Grocery Go Karts at Amazon

43. Pizza, Pizza!

Amazon

This is the perfect game for 3- to 7-year-olds to learn their shapes and colors while having fun creating yummy (and yucky) pizzas! It will also teach them valuable skills like taking turns and making choices.

Buy it: Pizza, Pizza! at Amazon

44. Sight Words Game

Amazon

Sight word recognition is so important for preschoolers. This game features 400 commonly found words on different-colored flies that correspond with different ability levels, so you can cater to different literacy levels. And little ones will enjoy swatting the flies!

Buy it: Sight Words Game at Amazon

45. Season Wise

Amazon

This game teaches valuable skills like categorizing and sorting while also teaching about the four seasons. We love that it could even spark some debate since some of the cards could go for more than one season.

Buy it: Season Wise at Amazon

46. Keepy Uppy Game

Amazon

The preschool-aged crowd loves the show Bluey and the oh-so adorable characters featured in it. This cute board game is based on a popular game from the show Keepy Uppy. The best board games for preschoolers are fast-paced and fun, and this one certainly fits the bill!

Buy it: Bluey Keepy Uppy Game at Amazon

What do you think are the best card and board games for preschoolers? Come and share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out our favorite ideas for sensory tables.

We Are Teachers Staff

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October 25, 2023