100 Laughs
The setup
Use a deck of cards with Q’s (as 0’s), A’s (as 1’s), and 2-9’s. Set the target number at 100. Four random cards are chosen in order and used to make a pair of 2-digit numbers, a shared resource.
How to play
Each player is dealt 14 random cards face up. Players alternate turns. During a turn, a player must use exactly two of their cards to place on top of two of the four cards. The player gets one point if the current two two-digit numbers add up to the target. The name of the game comes from the optional action of a player laughing each time they succeed in getting the target amount.
How to win
When the cards are all used up, the player with the most points wins.
Variations
- Having a target of 100 is useful for practicing number bonds for 10. However, other targets are useful for providing variety and to practice with other number bonds.
- Give players fewer or more than 14 cards.
- Use subtraction together with a smaller target number.
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!