Milk Cap Math: MADS Elimination

Here is another milk cap math game for basic +/-/x/division practice. My 15yo daughter thought of the name, MADS Elimination. (Thanks!)

The object?

M: multiply
A: add
D: divide
S: subtract

...in order to eliminate all milk caps on the playing field. (Before you go completely MADs!)

You'll need:

• two sets of 10 milk caps (any color), numbered 1-10
• two, 1-6 dice

To play the game, each player forms a line of milk caps, 1-10. Players take turns rolling the dice. When dice are rolled, the player may choose to multiply, add, divide, or subtract. So, for example:

Dice rolled: 3 and 5

I can:

M: 3 x 5 (won't work since my caps are 1-10)
A: 3 + 5 = 8
D: 5 / 3 = 2.5 (won't work)
S: 5 - 3 = 2

So I could eliminate either the 2 or the 8 cap. If the cap(s) has already been eliminated, I lose my turn. The first player to eliminate all caps, wins.

You can make this a little easier (preschool) by using 6 caps (1-6) and one die (1-6) and removing caps from the table as you roll each number.

You can make this a little harder by using bigger numbers (on the caps) or having the option of rolling multiple dice. For example, you could roll three, 1-6 dice, and make a number sentence using all three numbers. (You could also use dice with different numbers: 0-5, 4-9, etc.)

Example using 3 dice:

I roll: 1,3,4

I could do any number of combinations...I won't list them all, but for example:

3 - 1 + 4

1 x 4 - 3   (You could even talk about order of operations here.)

4 - 1 + 3

Lots and lots of possibilities for this game!

Running out of math caps yet?? ;)

This is another great math workbox game! ;)

Milk Cap Math: Magic Square Game

Here's another idea for Milk Cap Math...

[As a side note, when I went to find my milk caps, they were gone. I finally located them under the piano in my 4yo's "house." Apparently, they are good for a lot more than MATH!]

Milk Cap Math Magic Square Game

You'll need:
*9 milk caps, any colors, numbered 1-9.

To play:
Place numbers in a 3 cap by 3 cap square as shown. Rearrange numbers so that the sum of any 3 caps (diagonal, column and row) equals 15.

You can play this Magic Square Game online to get the idea, but I recommend using milk caps (or something similar) to manipulate the numbers. When you manually move the numbers, you are able to experiment with different combinations in a way that just isn't possible with the online game.

Thank you SO MUCH to reader, musicalmary, for alerting me to the connection to the book, Ben Franklin and His Magic Squares! We just happen to be studying Ben Franklin right now in history, so this is perfect!!!

This would be another great math workbox!

Sleeping Queens Game (Gift Idea #2)

My 8yo son received an inexpensive card game, Sleeping Queens, for his birthday. He'd play it every day if we would. (His 4yo brother is also able to play with adult supervision.)

The object of the game is to collect queen cards or points. Various character cards--king, knight, dragon, sleeping potion, wand, jester--cause a variety of actions. Although the game feels like pure entertainment, it includes a mathematical component; you can discard (a good thing!) three or more number cards that make an addition equation. For example, if you have cards numbered 2, 3, and 5, you can discard them if you notice that 2+3=5.

As a fascinating side note, the game was invented by a 6yo girl who lay awake one night, dreaming up the rules for the game.

The box says for ages 8 and up, 2-5 players, about 20 minutes/game.

LilDude says he highly recommends it! It would make a great math workbox.

Math App Saturday (#2, Add/Subtract/Mult/Divide)

Saturday series on using educational apps for iTouch/iPhone/iPad continues with games that promote skills practice with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. At posting, they are all FREE...

Math Zombie
In 10 seconds (or without the time mode), combine numbers to equal the number shown. The more numbers you use, the more points you earn. Practices addition facts to 20. All ages enjoy the game. Since you can set the time mode on or off, it also provides a challenge appropriate for a variety of levels.

Math Races
Skills practice in addition, subtraction, multiplication, division. Presentation isn't terribly exciting...if you're looking for traditional fact skills practice, this is it.

Burn Your Brain: Math
FAST paced game. You are presented with a math problem and you must immediately say whether the number sentence is true or false. Challenging!

24 Lite
"An addictive new take on a classic math card game! The goal of the game is deceptively simple: make the number 24 using the four given numbers and basic arithmetic -- addition, subtraction, multiplication and division."

Tri-Ominoes (Addition/Subtraction Game)

Tri-Ominoes, a game played similar to dominoes, provides addition and subtraction practice. When players lay a piece, they must add the three numbers on the triominoe as well as keep track of their total points. Since the game is played until someone reaches 400, it provides a lot of practice in adding and subtracting. (The subtracting comes in when a player must draw a triominoe...a loss of 5 points for each that must be drawn.) Bonus points are awarded for unique configurations of triangles, such as completing a hexagon.

We bought this game this weekend and kids ages 7-14 as well as adults have been playing and enjoying it ever since. :)