Playing with Math: Using Games to Engage Families in Young Children’s Math Learning 

By Geetha B Ramani and Gillian Grose

For most people, math and fun rarely feel like they go together. Often, parents associate math practice with their children using repetitive worksheets and flashcards. Although learning math does involve consistent practice, worksheets are not the only way for students to engage in math. Math learning can be engaging and fun! One way to enjoyably practice math is through games.

Games often include opportunities for children to practice math skills in a way that is embedded in a context that can make math meaningful.¹ Using games and activities in early childhood classrooms to learn math is not a new concept. However, games for practicing math at home may seem novel to some parents. Because playing games at home is often a common activity, using them to practice and learn math could make for effective and accessible approaches for families. Games provide a playful, interactive, and low-pressure avenue for children to develop mathematical thinking while spending quality time with their families.

How Can Games Help Children To Learn Math?

There are various challenges families may face when practicing math with their children

• One challenge when it comes to math is that many families feel ill-equipped to support their children’s math learning at home. One potential reason is that some experience math anxiety, which is anxiety specific to performing math like solving problems on math tests or using math in everyday life.² Parents who experience difficulty with math may avoid engaging their children in math activities. See a previous blog post for more information. 
• Another reason is that families may not know what age-appropriate math activities they should use with their children. With literacy, reading books is a time together many families value and include as a part of their routines. The equivalent of reading books for math is often unclear especially if families view math as abstract or challenging.

For early childhood educators, the challenge lies in helping families overcome these barriers and view math as accessible, fun, and essential. Games are one way for families to promote early math skills through family engagement.

Games are successful at promoting learning because…

• Games can be easily integrated into daily routines.
• Games can make math fun by creating a relaxed and enjoyable environment.
• Games incorporate real-world contexts, helping children see the relevance of math in everyday life.
• Repeated play of math-related games can reinforce concepts and skills.³
• The interactive nature of games can foster communication, collaboration, and quality time between children and their caregivers⁴
• Games can be easily adapted to different skill levels, ensuring that all children can participate and benefit.

How Educators Can Help Families Get Started?

Early childhood educators can guide families to incorporate math games into their routines. There are many simple, low-cost children’s games that families may already have at home. Families can even use parts of other games or household materials to play math games. Further, math games can be played outside, in the car, or on a walk. Games can even be adapted to be easier or harder based on the child’s abilities. Here are practical steps and strategies:

Provide ideas and resources

• Board Games: Some commercial children’s games like “Hi-Ho Cherri-O” or “Chutes and Ladders” can reinforce early number skills. Games like “Perfection” and “Jenga” can help build children’s spatial reasoning skills. If Chutes and Ladders is too challenging for a child, start with the numbers 1-10 with this downloadable version. To make the game challenging, have the child name the numbers in the squares as they move. This can help to build children’s counting, numeral identification, and understanding of the magnitudes of numbers.⁵‘⁶
• Card Games: Simple card games like “War” can build skills in comparing the magnitudes of numbers and identifying numerals.⁷ To make the game easier, families can start with smaller numbers only, like 2 through 5, and add more numbers to increase difficulty. Have the children count the symbols or name the numbers on the cards as they play them. You can even encourage children to line up cards in different patterns using the colors or suits of the cards (e.g., hearts, diamonds, hearts, etc.). 

• Dice Games: Playing games with dice can be helpful for children’s counting skills.⁸ Further, it can be easy to create simple number games with just the dice. For counting activities, you can roll a dice, and have your child find that number of items in the house. You can even make arithmetic games by having them add the numbers on two dice together. 

• Online Games: Online games and apps can be helpful tools when families are on the go and may not have materials on hand. It’s important for families to pick programs where they can actively engage and discuss the games together as they play.⁹ Common Sense Media provides reviews and helpful information about popular websites and apps with math games that can be filtered by age group. 

• Outdoor or Movement Games: Playing outdoors or traveling can be times to play math games too. Children can be challenged to see how numbers they can identify on signs or find different shapes they see outside. Have children measure with their feet the distance to different areas like from the kitchen to the front door. 

Model and demonstrate

• Reassure families that they do not need to be math experts to support their child’s learning. Most families are already doing many things that benefit their children’s learning and it is important that they know that as well. You can provide them with a few more ideas to make sure they realize that math can be engaging and a family activity. 
• Encourage talk about math during games (and even during their daily routines). Encourage families to talk about what numbered spaces their child has landed on or talk about who has the most points in a game. 
• Host family math nights or workshops where educators can demonstrate how to play math games. Families will appreciate the hands-on engagement and enjoy interacting with other members of their school community. 
• Because not all families can attend school events, providing video tutorials or written guides with step-by-step instructions for families to refer to at home can be a great resource for families. The Development and Research in Early Math Education (DREME) Consortium has many family math resources, including activities and instructions. 
• Children can be great teachers! Show the children in school how to play games so they can act as the teachers at home. This will get both parents and children excited to try activities and games at home. 
• Recommend age-appropriate math apps or online games that are both educational and engaging. It will be important to offer tips on how to integrate technology thoughtfully such as ways to set time limits to balance screen time with other activities.

Conclusions

1. Make Math Fun and Relatable: Emphasize that math is not limited to worksheets and drills; it’s a part of everyday life and can be explored through play and games.
2. Empower Families: Provide families with practical, easy-to-implement ideas and resources to engage in math activities and games at home.
3. Foster Collaboration: Create opportunities for families and educators to work together, building confidence and enthusiasm for math learning.

4. Start Small: Encourage families to begin with simple activities and games that match their child’s skills.

5. Celebrate Success: Recognize and celebrate families’ efforts to engage their children in math, reinforcing positive attitudes and ongoing participation.

Engaging families through math games is a win-win strategy that supports children’s development while strengthening family connections. As early childhood educators, your role in equipping families with the tools and confidence to make math a joyful part of their lives is invaluable. By promoting games as a key resource, you can transform math from a source of anxiety to a source of fun and discovery for both children and their caregivers. Together, we can build a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success.

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2. Ashcraft, M. H. (2002). Math anxiety: Personal, educational, and cognitive consequences. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11(5), 181-185. ↩︎
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6.  Ramani, G. B., & Siegler, R. S. (2008). Promoting broad and stable improvements in low-income children’s numerical knowledge through playing number board games. Child Development, 79(2), 375-394 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.01131.x ↩︎
7. Scalise, N., Daubert, E. N., & Ramani, G. B. (2020). Benefits of playing numerical card games on Head Start children’s mathematical skills. The Journal of Experimental Education, 88(2), 200-220. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220973.2019.15 ↩︎
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