Playing games for math is a super effective way to teach years’ worth of elementary principles and skills in a very natural way. Learning Resources is a great source of elementary math games that focus on specific skills. Place value is something many children struggle to understand because it’s such an abstract concept. Dino Math Tracks is our favorite game for learning about place value in a more concrete, visual, play-based way!
The game concept is very simple, but the dinosaur theme, the color-coding, and optional challenge cards make this game fantastic for gameschooling math!
Dino Math Tracks can be played in a variety of ways to suit children of different ages and stages, but each variation begins with players taking a set of dinosaur playing pieces. Each player should have four different kinds of dinosaurs that are all the same color.
Players place the dinosaurs in the appropriate lanes:
- Yellow = 1s
- Orange = 10s
- Purple = 100s
- Blue = 1000s
Each player should roll the green die to determine who goes first, with the highest roll winning.
Turns consist of the following steps:
- Roll all 4 number dice and arrange them on the place value box in any order to make a 4-digit number.
- Move all 4 dinosaurs along the corresponding tracks.
- It’s helpful to have children count each move out loud to solidify the connection between the number and it’s place value.
When two dinosaurs land on the same space, the players have a SHOWDOWN by rolling the green dice. The larger number wins and the player who rolled it gets to move his/her dinosaur forward that many extra spaces.
Play continues in this way until one player reaches Forgotten Falls with all their dinosaurs!
*Younger children can play with just one or two number cubes and use only the 1s and 10s place values.
GAME VARIATIONS
*More advanced players can add in the action number cards. After moving all 4 dinosaurs along the track, draw an action number card, read it aloud, calculate the answer, and move the correct number of spaces.
Some action cards will move you forward, some will move you backward. It’s the luck of the draw!!
*Play WITHOUT the 4 white number dice. Move dinosaurs ONLY according to the action cards for a more challenging/longer game.
*Move the losing player in a Showdown back to start for another twist!
*Encourage all players solve all problems together.
*Create word and story problems with a dinosaur theme for each turn.
ALL children can be good at math and have fun with numbers when principles and concepts are taught through play. We can remove the negative energy that is often tied up with children’s thoughts and feelings about math by playing with numbers and using math in more real-world, practical ways.
Games not only help children learn math concepts, they also create an atmosphere of positivity, curiosity, and fun in our homes! Children can teach each other and learn more deeply as they strengthen relationships and help each other!
Thanks to Learning Resources for this wonderful elementary math game!
