Closest To 10
The setup
Use a deck of cards from 1 to 10. Choose a target sum, say 10.
How to play
Each round starts by dealing five cards face down on the table. One player randomly chooses three of those cards and turns them over. Two cards are chosen from those three to add up as close to the target as possible. The unused three cards are given, face up, to the other player to choose two cards to get close to the target.
Scoring
The player whose result is closest to the target from either side wins a point. Have a number line handy to use for discussions about which result is closer to the target sum.
Variation
If you use subtraction instead of addition, use a lower target number, say 4.
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!