Math is a subject that some children find challenging. Math is the basis for other subjects such as science, statistics and computer technology. Your 8-year-old child will benefit from playing math games that reinforce his school lessons. Help him develop stronger computational and geometry skills by playing math games with him.
Number Bingo
Number bingo is a fun, fast-paced game that can help your child build her math fact speed and accuracy. Purchase blank cards or make your own using plain white paper. Put the letters to spell bingo along the top and write numbers in the drawn squares. The numbers should be the answers to the math questions you will call. Use addition and subtraction facts. If your child is learning multiplication, include easier multiplication facts. Give your child a bingo card. Call out a fact and ask her to solve the equation and mark the answer on his card. When she fills in a vertical, horizontal or diagonal row she wins.
Fraction Dominoes
Dominoes is a game many children enjoy playing. Instead of playing with dotted domino pieces, make fraction dominoes and play a game that helps your child develop his understanding of fractions. According to the Mid-Pacific Institute, this game helps children with counting, numbers and matching. Cut out rectangular pieces of paper and use a permanent marker to divide the rectangle into two squares. Put a number fraction on one half of the card and a circle representation of a fraction on the other half. Give each child a stack of cards and ask him to match the number fraction with the corresponding picture. The first child to use all his dominoes wins.
Tanagrams
Playing games with the ancient Chinese tanagram puzzle pieces helps your child develop spacial relationship and problem solving skills. Tanagram puzzles consist of seven geometric shapes-- two each of large and small triangles, one medium triangle, one parallelogram and one square. When put together, the pieces form a square. Play a game with the puzzle pieces by giving your child a blank shape and asking her to put the tanagram pieces inside the outlined shape correctly. Use prepurchased tanagram cards or print a set from an educational website. Time her efforts and reward her with a sticker when she completes the puzzle quickly.
More or Less
If your 8-year-old enjoys playing the card game war, he will most likely enjoy playing the math version called More or Less. Bonnie Adama, national board certified master teacher, explains that after you shuffle and deal the cards, the players simultaneously turn over their top card. Call either "add or subtract." The children add or subtract the upturned cards and the first child to correctly say the answer wins the round. Count aces as one, and the face cards as tens.
