Checkers Math
The setup
This game is lightly inspired by checkers. Each player has 10 counters. The counters are numbered from 1 to 10, with the “10” counter marked with 10 and 11. The counters start on the end rows of a 100-chart – one player on squares 1 to 10 and the other on squares 91 to 100.
How to play
Initially, counters can only move “forward” one row onto any multiple of the number(s) on the marker they choose – for the player starting on 1 to 10, forward means larger numbers, and for the player starting on 91 to 100, forward means smaller numbers. Once a counter has made it all the way across the board, it becomes a king and can then move forward or backward one row after that. An opponent’s piece is taken by landing on it. A player’s piece cannot double up with another of the same player’s pieces.
How to win
You win by taking all your opponent’s pieces.
Variations
For younger players, shorten the board to use the first 6 rows – the numbers from 1 to 60. A child who does not know all the multiples yet can use skip counting to figure out the moves.
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!