Counting Neighbors
The setup
Use three dice and an 8 by 8 board of numbers from 1 to 64.
How to play
A player rolls the dice and uses addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to make any unmarked number on the board. The player marks this square and receives one point for the square plus one more point for each marked square that it touches, including diagonally. If a player cannot make a play, any other player who finds a play can claim that score.
How to win
Play five or more rounds, with the largest score winning.
Variations
Some game options are to use a fourth die, and to use a smaller or larger board.
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!