Making 100
The setup
Each player has a sheet of paper with 7 rows and 3 columns. The columns are marked “10’s,” “1’s,” and “Running Total.”
How to play
Each player’s running total starts at 0. Roll a die or pick a random playing card from 1 to 9. Each player chooses to use this number in their 1’s or 10’s column for the current row. For example, if it is a 4, this can become 4 or 40. The chosen number is added to the running total.
How to win
A player that goes over the target of 100 “goes bust” and loses. If neither player goes bust, the one closer to 100 wins.
Variations
There are many options for this game:
- Use a different target number
- Use fewer or more rows.
- Don’t go bust if you go over the target. The closer player on either side wins.
- Use a fourth column of 100’s to practice 3-digit numbers.
- Practice subtraction by starting at the target number and subtract down to 0.
Helping your child
First and foremost, playing math games should be fun, like any other game your family plays together!
Please let your child make poor plays (mistakes) without correction, and resist the urge to tell them the best ways to play. Bit by bit, your child will get better at the game, and they will learn so much more if you let them figure things out. There is no hurry.
If you see your child make a mistake, ask them to describe why they decided to do what they did. If your child is stuck and doesn’t know which play to make, ask them to describe the pros and cons of their choices, or ask them about how they solved a similar situation in the past. If your child doesn’t remember how to do a calculation, discuss with them the methods they know for figuring it out. These conversations are important for helping your child to develop mathematically.
Through math game play and math conversations, you are helping your child learn to enjoy math and develop important problem solving skills!