When I first started teaching, I had students do timed tests to practice math facts. But I saw it giving my students anxiety and I know they didn’t enjoy it. I had no games for practicing math facts.

They would literally groan when it was time to practice. Not only would they groan, I had students in tears because no matter how much they tried, they couldn’t complete 50 math problems in one minute.

That is when I knew I needed to change things up in my classroom.

I started to create math fact games for my students to play and it changed everything! 

Students are excited when it is time to practice math facts.

Students actively choose games for practicing math facts when they have free time in the classroom.

Not only that, but I have seen my students master math facts and become fluent with them.

Now more goes into it than just fun games for practicing math facts. That’s why I created a free workbook for 1st and 2nd grade teachers, The 7 Steps to Ensure Math Fact Fluency.

In this workbook I’m sharing my best tips and strategies for students to learn math facts in a fun and meaningful way. 

Download the free workbook here.

If you are looking for a list of games that are great for children practice to practice math facts, but that adults enjoy playing as well, check out this blog post: 3 Ways to Practice Math Facts at Home That Will Improve Your Child’s Fact Fluency

These games are perfect for family game night, and get children started with strategy and reasoning games. If you want to help them learn more advanced strategy games, a chess coach may be a good option.

If you are looking for a fun math game that students can play on a device, you’ve got to check out Polymath. It’s a free math app! It puts solving math problems into a game that makes math practice so engaging for students. And best part, students can play at home as well. Learn more about Polymath here.

Now let’s get onto the games for practicing math facts that my students love playing in our 2nd grade classroom.

 

Games for Practicing Math Facts

Math Facts Memory Match

Math Facts Memory Match is a simple game, but students love it! Students can play with a partner or in a small group.

They lay out the cards and try to find matches of equal equations.

By doing this, it really gets them figuring out the math facts in their head and using different math fact strategies. 

 

 

I love to have my students use math fact strategies rather than rote memorization. That is why I also made a ten frames version. Students have to find the equation and the ten frame that matches it. 

I love how it gets the students to visualize the math facts. Find this game here.

 

Don’t Eat Pete

Don’t Eat Pete is a simple, yet fun game for students. Best part about it, you just need to print it out for it to be ready for students.

 

 

Students take turns choosing a square to be “Pete.” One student steps away while the rest of the group chooses.

Then they come back and pick candy off of each square while saying the answer to the math facts.

When they go to pick up “Pete”, the group shouts “Don’t Eat Pete!”

Then they start again with another player.

Find the year long themed Math Facts Don’t Eat Pete playing boards here.

 

Math Facts Bingo

When it comes to games for practicing math facts, I especially love the ones that are low prep for me!

That is why I love Math Facts Bingo as much as my students do! All I have to do is print off a card for each of my students and print out the call cards. Then I can quickly cut apart the call cards and we are ready to play!

 

 

Best part about it, it is perfect for whole group since there are 25 different bingo cards. So it’s rare that students get bingo at the same time!

I can also differentiate this game easily. There are three different versions of call cards: addition, addition & subtraction, and doubles and near doubles.

Most of all, I love Math Facts Bingo because it gets my students practicing addition and subtraction math facts in an engaging way. Want to play Math Facts Bingo in your classroom? Find it here.

 

Math Facts Board Games

This next game to practice math fact is a familiar one to students. Students love board games. So I made a math fact board game that is set up like Candyland.

 

 

Students draw a card with a math fact equation and then move their person on the answer to the equation.

I have different versions of this game with different facts so it is easy to differentiate with it in my classroom. Find these Math Fact Board Games here.

 

Math Fact Puzzles

Students love to think through puzzles. That is why I created Fact Family Puzzles for my classroom. Students look at the middle hexagon to know what numbers are part of the fact family. Then they record the 4 different equations that match the fact family on a recording page.

I love when I see students work together on these puzzles and to hear their reasoning.

 

 

This is also a simple activity to differentiate. Just print how the face families you want students to work on. Learn more about teaching fact families in this blog post here: 3 Reasons Why You Need To Teach Fact Families

Find these Fact Family Puzzles here.

 

Math Facts Riddles

These are so engaging for students. They solve all of the math facts and then use the key to reveal the fun fact. Each page has a picture of the topic of the fact. So it really intrigues students to solve.

 

 

My students love these so much, they often ask for some they can do at home.

Find the Math Fact Riddles I use in my classroom here.

 

Math Facts I Spy

Just by having students search for something, makes it fun for them. Well, make that something into math facts!

I hide different math fact equations on a page with different clipart. Students search through trying to find different kinds of facts.

For example, students may be searching for facts that make 10. They highlight all the equations on that page that make 10.

 

 

For the equations on the page that don’t equal 10, they write it on the back with the answer. So they get lots of math fact practice.

Find the Year Long I Spy Math Facts Bundle I use in my classroom here.

Card Games for Practicing Math Facts

 

Math Facts Old Maid

 

A favorite math fact game in my classroom is Math Fact Old Maid. Students really get into this game! 

Each match in the Old Maid game has an equation. As students find matches, they have to figure out the math fact and say it.

 

 

 I also have students record the matches on a piece of paper so I know they are playing the game correctly and practicing their math facts with it. 

This game is so popular in my classroom that I set out both an addition and subtraction version for students to play. Find my Math Facts Old Maid game here.

Math Facts Go Fish

Another math fact card game I have in my classroom is Math Facts Go Fish. 

Students are again looking for matches by asking another player for an answer to a math fact.

Cards have equal equations. Students have to sort through their cards to find the match, doing math facts in their head as they do so. 

 

 

I love how much practice they get with math facts in this game!

I also set out a set of Math Facts Go Fish with ten frames. 

Students have to find the ten frames that match the equation as they play Go Fish.  I also have a recording page with this game to keep students accountable as they are having fun! Find this Go Fish game for practicing math facts here.

 

My hope is that this blog post has shown you how easy it is to give your students engaging, fun, meaningful math fact practice.

It comes by incorporating games for practicing math facts into your classroom schedule. To save money on all of the games to practice math facts  I use in this bundle here.

Looking for more ways to help students achieve math fact fluency? I’ve got something special for first and second grade teachers.

I’ve compiled 7 important steps that help students get to math fact fluency. Read about how to apply all of them here in my free workbook: The 7 Steps to Ensure Math Fact Fluency.

 

Download it free here.