Last Updated on October 3, 2024 by Editorial Team
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If you are searching for board games to learn division, you probably are not too comfortable learning it with conventional methods.
And, that is perfectly ok! You can have your own way of learning math or any other subject.
Difficulty with mathematical operations like division is not an alien concept, but do you know why use board games to learn and practice this mathematical operation? If not, I suggest you read this post till the end.
In this post, you can acquaint yourself with:
- Why division board games are important?
- 8 Best Board Games to Learn Division
- How to use board games as learning material for teaching division
Once you have understood what role division board games play and which options are worth considering, the road ahead will be clearer for you.
So, here we start!
Importance of division board games
Board games for learning division are multi-utility learning material. These have division as a core of the gameplay. Learners can internalize the process of division by doing this mathematical operation to achieve certain goals or levels in the board games.
Board games for mastering division use gamification to teach this mathematical operation to early learners.
Even those past the early learning stage can get their requisite dose of practice or brush up on division skills with these board games.
Division-focused board games introduce the practical utility of this mathematical operation by including it in a hypothetical situation like the theme of the game.
The best part is children learn the division without realizing the drill when they play these board games.
To add to all, an e-book on board games by David Moursund[1] suggests that problem-solving skills can be enhanced by giving these board games to kids as learning material.
Thus, board games are not meant to disconnect you from learning; in fact, these games help strengthen understanding.
Let’s find here the high-rated board games for learning division that can help you master the skills of dividing, creating proportionate parts, and learning concepts like quotient, remainder, etc.
8 Innovative board games to learn division
1. Math for Love Prime Climb
Prime Club from Math for Fun offers lots of opportunities throughout the gameplay to do all math operations like division, and others. This game comes with challenge cards that guide the learners on what to do at each stop of this spiral chain that can attract young learners with ease. Apart from giving practice, the game helps learners enhance their thinking ability. They need to think fast, recall the division process, and make decisions that can help them reach the end of the spiral chain the fastest.
Gameplay involves other math operations, too, as they need to decide which operation to choose to jump to the farthest stop in the chain. All in all, apart from increasing the ease of operations, this game boosts math reasoning skills too.
2. Multiplication & Division Bingo Game
Bingo is a game played worldwide and has its fans amongst people of all age groups. This division board game offers a fun-filled way of practicing problems. The timed manner of playing this game can help stimulate the mind better; further, the cognitive skills are improved too. If you want some activity to do with kids to befriend them with the division method, this board game serves the purpose the best.
The game is found to be a good mental capacity booster[2] for seniors too. It requires the learners to stay alert, make quick calculations and decisions, and bend their minds to accept various conditions. So, it can act as an interesting way to connect and learn and eventually grow.
3. Logic Roots Pet Me Multiplication and Division Game
It is a game that has everything that can draw the kids to practice division without realizing that they are doing something related to their studies. Its backdrop of garden and elements like animals, pawns, etc. appeal to kids. Parents can further make it more interesting by weaving a story around the gameplay. Thus, the little learners get to understand the practical utility of division. The food for the pet animals earned as a reward induces a feeling of accomplishment among kids too.
This game requires the little learners to divide the food among pets as per the instructions provided. So, by a simple activity of dividing food, they are given a firsthand introduction to the concept of division. The number of animals fed by them forms the quotient. With such a catch analogy to offer, this game is most likely to help the kids to retain the concept in their minds for longer.
4. Proof! Math Game – The Fast-Paced Game of Mental Math Magic
Strategy-focused learning[3] is more effective in understanding the concept better and in identifying the pattern in problems (Newell and Simon, 1972); this game is based on this thought. It is because Proof requires the learners to share the process by which they arrived at the answer. The one who answers the fastest has to give proof, which is actually a mathematical operation applied to solve the problem.
Thus, this game is one of the most promising tools that can help improve the thinking ability of kids or early learners. There are nine number cards provided in this game, which contain equations hidden. The kids identify the equations corresponding to the problem’s solution and justify it with reasoning. So, it helps to boost thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving ability, in addition to mastering mathematical operations like division.
5. Adsumudi Math Game
As crazy as it may sound, this monstrously fun game by Evermade can make math-related fears go away by engaging children in an entertaining way. Perfect for kids aged 8–12, this game can be a useful resource for helping kids practice division operations. Not only that, it also includes activities related to addition, subtraction, and multiplication to provide an overall learning experience.
The game is not restricted in terms of how it can be played. Kids and adults giving them company can turn the gameplay into a competition or play collaboratively to find solutions. There are a whopping 416 challenges to tickle a child’s brain. Each of these challenges is segregated based on difficulty so that players can choose a level based on their skills. All in all, Adsumudi is an easy-to-learn and fun game for kids who want to enhance their division skills and other math operations.
6. Learning Resources tri-FACTa Multiplication & Division Game
Three slots are placed on a triangle and mathematical signs like division, subtraction or addition, etc. are placed in between these. The game requires the learners to place the numbers on the slots according to the mathematical signs. This game can be considered an entertaining take on the number bonds charts, which teach the relationships between the numbers in a learning-focused way. An element of fun and challenge is added to this game by offering the challenge and hint cards, helping the math beginners choose the division option and perform it too.
This board game for learning division can offer a mind-stimulating way of mastering basic math operations. Kids pick the signs and numbers based on their knowledge of operations and their impact on the numbers. Thus, it helps build confidence with number bonds, number sense, and calculation methods.
7. Kitki Mind Your Numbers Math Game
It is a quick-paced, mind-bending board game that enables kids to be fluent in division and other math operations. Kids find a lot of numbers’ card-related activities to do, using which they need to score the highest to be the winner. They operate on the numbers with appropriate signs to get the highest possible number, this gameplay gives ample opportunities to reason, analyze, and most importantly, quickly calculate.
Mind the numbers teach us to be mindful of numbers and relationships. This board game allows practicing and demonstrating quick thinking and helps develop comfort with math operations. It can rightly be called an amazing mental math ability booster!
How to use board games as learning material for teaching division
Math board games enhance the flexibility of the mind and make it more receptive toward arithmetical and logical reasoning concepts. But, all of this becomes possible to achieve when you have chosen the correct strategies. A few important ones worth practicing are:
1. Give an introduction about the arithmetic operation you intend to teach through a board game. It helps keep the fun and learning in a balanced way. You can even do some division activities with manipulatives before you start playing the board game.
2. Make groups and organize competitions according to the number of players that can play the board game for division.
3. Conduct number talk sessions to find how kids plan to excel or win the board game and encourage them to come up with better and quicker strategies to solve division-based problems provided in-game.
4. Make it a point to play regularly. Abandoning the board game after playing it only once can fail to reinforce the concept in the mind. So, repeat plays should be encouraged to give better practice.
Final word
New age learning tools like board games and online division games offer a plethora of engaging and educational options for our little learners. The division board games listed above have proven to be invaluable tools in nurturing children’s mathematical skills, critical thinking, and social development. These make the intimidating concept of division approachable and enjoyable for little kids.
Through gameplay, children not only grasp the principles of division but also learn important life skills such as teamwork and problem-solving. When kids explore these games with their parents, teachers, or caregivers, they develop a love for learning that extends beyond the confines of the classroom. Therefore, we must recognize the impact that play has on a child’s growth and provide them with ample games and opportunities so they can thrive academically and socially and create memories for a lifetime.
References
- Moursund, D. (2016). Learning Problem-solving Strategies by Using Games: A Guide for Educators and Parents. Eugene, OR: Information Age Education. Available online at http://iae-pedia.org/Learning_Problemsolving_Strategies_by_Using_Games:_A_Guide_for_Educators_and_Parents.
- Seah, Erik & Kaufman, David & Sauvé, Louise & Zhang, Fan. (2017). Play, Learn, Connect: Older Adults’ Experience With a Multiplayer, Educational, Digital Bingo Game. Journal of Educational Computing Research. 56. 073563311772232. 10.1177/0735633117722329.
- Simon, H.A. (1977). The Theory of Problem Solving. In: Models of Discovery. Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science, vol 54. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-9521-1_13
- Victoria Uribe, Ricardo & Cobos, Sandra. (2014). Board Games as Tool for Teaching Basic Sustainability Concepts to Design Students.
An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’,