We bring fun into learning with our board game "Race to Planet X", which is perfect for kids K-3rd grade as they build fluency in their basic addition and subtraction. Families can play a quick game in 15 minutes, and score some major parenting points for non-screen family time that also doubles as math practice for the kids.
Tips:
For Young and New Game Players
Play with cards face up so players can help each other make Power Combos.
Addition Fact Focus
As a player puts down a Power Combo, player has to say the number sentence out loud to practice addition facts (example: “two plus three equals five”).
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​Number Bond Focus:
Many elementary schools teach math using Number Bonds, and this game reinforces that method. You can further practice Number Bonds by only allowing Power Combos placed in the Number Bond configuration (biggest number on top).
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It might benefit younger beginners to have an actual print out of the number bond template to lay out their Power Combos. Click here for a free printable number bond template.
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Quick Video on How to Play:
Game Variations:
To focus on adding and subtracting 1-10
• Take out green cards (11-20)
• Any Power Combo that includes a 10 would allow user to go 2 spaces forward
For players ready for multiplication:
• Players can also use multiplication to make Power Combos
• Power Combo with multiplication example
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Space War
You can use this deck of cards for classic card games with a twist. Here’s our take on the classic game of War.
Setup: 2 players. Remove all special cards and one number card. Split remaining deck evenly, each player getting 38 cards.
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Play: Each player flips over two cards. Whoever has bigger sum takes all four cards and put them at bottom of her stack. If there’s a tie, flip over another card and whoever has bigger sum of the three cards wins that round and takes all six cards.
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Game ends when one player has won all the cards (or it's time for bed).
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