Friday Fun day... Place Value game

This game is one that I learnt from an AWESOME Maths educator, Professor Di Seimon. She has done some amazing work around teaching number, when I've heard her present, I've been in awe of how much she knows about teaching and learning Number... if you ever get the chance, definitely so see her!

This game is designed to reinforce place value. Here's a link to the original game board, that I've used with Yr 2/3s. The great thing about this game is that it can be adapted to any level so easily, and can be used for decimals, fractions, whole numbers... so many things!

The original download is much clearer... I wasn't sure how to upload a clearer image.. sorry!

The game needs two players, two 0-9 dice and a game board each. The aim is to be the first person with a number in each of the boxes. Player 1 rolls the two dice and then makes a number with the two numbers rolled (for example, if I roll a 3 and a 5, I can make 35 or 53) and then chooses a box to write the number in. Player two then has a turn and this continues until one person has all their boxes filled. If you can't make a move, you skip a turn. 

There is so much strategy in this game! Kids need to have a sense of where a number is in relation to 0 and 100 so they can estimate a box to write in, so there is a lot of calcluated guessing!

When I play with game with littler kids, I use a one 1 - 10 die and a simpler board. The concept is still the same, but obviously only working with the numbers 1 - 10. 

At first, we have 9 boxes on the game so that all the numbers 1-9 are written, as they get into the swing of things, we use a game board with less squares so that they need to start making strategic decisions about where to place the numbers that they roll (this can get quite tricky!)

Once they have the gist of this, we use two 1- 9 (or 1 - 10) dice and add them together. For this, we use a 0 - 20 game board - I either give the kids a game board, or I get them to draw one that looks something like this....

This is a great game to play as a part of your lessons, or for kids to play when they have some spare time... I always find it's a really popular one! :)