Looking for a way to get kids practicing math skills? You could use commercial math games but these can be costly. For a fun math game that helps children to practice addition or multiplication, just grab a deck of playing cards and you are ready to go.

Yes, believe it or not there are heaps of math games inside that one deck of playing cards. Try these to get started and then why not try inventing your own. You can practice adding, multiplication, comparing numbers and countless other math skills.

Multiplication Over and Under

This game is an ideal way to practice times tables. Use a pack of cards with the colored cards removed. The Aces count as one. Deal all of the cards out to the two players. One player is the Under 30 player and the other is the Over 30 player.

Each player turns over a card at the same time and the two numbers are multiplied together. If the answer is below 30, the Under 30 player gets the cards. If it is more than 30, the Over 30 player keeps the cards. If the answer is exactly 30 each player takes back their card and puts it back in their deck. When all the cards have been played the person with the most cards is the winner.

Highest Number

Children love this fun math game that practices comparing numbers. Use only cards from Ace (which is valued at 1) to 9 for this game. Next choose the number of digits to be used in the numbers for this game, e.g. 2 digit numbers like 24 and 79; 3 digit numbers like 713 or 921; 4, 5 or 6 digit numbers. Each person is dealt that number of cards. Players arrange their cards to make the largest possible number with the cards that they have been dealt, e.g. with cards 2, 5 and 8 a player should make 852.

The player with the highest number in each round scores a point. The winner is the player who scores the most points.

First to Fifty Addition

Players take turns to deal two cards to each person. Every player then turns over the two cards they have been dealt, adds the two values and tells how much this is, e.g. 5 and 7 make 12. The player with the highest total keeps the two cards while the other cards are placed back in the deck which is shuffled and dealt again. Players total the value of the cards they have won until a player reaches fifty and wins.

First to Fifty Multiplication

Play this game the same as First to Fifty Addition however instead of adding the two cards to get a total, multiply the two numbers on the cards, e.g. 7X6 is 42. Players will still add the value of the cards that they win to get to fifty.

These fun card games can be played by a parent and child at home or in a classroom with children playing in pairs, in small groups or with the whole class being divided into 4 or 5 teams. So why not grab an old deck of cards and start playing?

Teresa Evans is a teacher and parent who uses math games to get kids excited about math. At MakingMathMoreFun.com she shares her favorite math games including board games, card games and game sheets. Visit http://www.makingmathmorefun.com to receive your own Free 7 part math games collection.

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