Short Steps To A Target
How to play
Create a 2-digit starting number using two playing cards from 1 to 9 – the first card gives the tens place and the other the ones place. Starting at that number, use 5 jumps each of which is either by 1 or 10. The goal is to get as close to 50 as possible, and the score is the difference from 50. The lowest total score after several rounds wins.
100 chart
Young players benefit from referring to a 100 chart. Using that chart will also emphasize place value as they go up or down by 10.
Variations
You can vary this game by allowing steps of 1, 2 or 10, or steps of 1, 2, 5, or 10. Also, use target numbers other than 50 sometimes.
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!