Games are such an effective tool for practicing skills in the classroom. Students are so engaged when playing games and we remember more of what we learn when we are having fun.
I worked hard to incorporate games into my classroom on a very regular basis. My students played vocabulary games on Fridays and they would play math fact games during math centers during the week.
I want to share several of my students’ favorite multiplication fact games! And the best part?
I am giving you all of the printables to play these games for FREE! Yippee!
Multiplication Games for Math Centers
1. Pop
This game is great for a center. Students can play with with a small group or with a partner.
For this game, put math fact cards and pop cards into a container. Students take turns pulling one card out of the container. If they pull a math fact card, they must solve for the fact. If they answer correctly, they keep the card. If they are wrong, it goes back in the container. If they draw a pop card, they must put all of their cards back in the container. The winner is the person with the most fact cards when playing time is over.
I love that anyone can end up winning this game. Your lower learners can win if their partner draws a pop card right before playing time ends!
2. Multiplication War
Students will play this game with a partner. All that students will need to play this game is a deck of playing cards. Take all of the face cards out.
Students will deal all of the cards so that they each have half of the deck. They will keep their pile face down. Both players will flip their top card at the same time. The first person to correctly multiply the two flipped numbers will keep both cards and put them at the bottom of their pile. If both students answer the math fact at the same time, they will each flip another card. The first person to correctly answer the new problem, will keep all four of the cards.
The winner is the person with the most cards when playing time is complete.
Warning- you will want to talk to students about their volume (especially if you are using this game in a center. When they are trying to be fast, they tend to get loud. Spend a little time practicing the appropriate volume.
3. Board Games
Using simple board games is my very favorite way for my students to practice math facts!
You will need to collect some game boards. You will want games that students already know how to play. I suggest Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Connect Four, Trouble, Checkers etc. These games can typically be found at second hand stores. The other thing that you will need are sets of multiplication flash cards.
To play, students will take turn. flipping over a flash card. If they answer the fact correctly, they get to take the usual turn on the game board. So if you are using Candy Land, the student would get to draw a game card and move to that place on the game board.
If a student gets the fact incorrect, they don’t get a turn to play on the game board.
The winner is the first person to win the board game according to the game’s rules.
4. Jenga
This is another great game to use in math centers.
Take a Jenga game and write multiplication facts on each of the blocks. Students will play the game according to the Jenga rules. The only difference is that when a person pulls out a block, they must answer the math fact before placing it on the top of the tower.
The winners are the players who do NOT knock down the tower.
5. Rolling Facts
This game requires almost no prep and is perfect for a center. All students need is 1 or 2 dice, a set of flash cards and a scrap paper or white board to keep score.
Students will take turns flipping over a flash card and answering the math fact. If they are correct, they get to roll the die or dice to determine how many points they earn. The winner is the student with the most points when the flash cards are complete or playing time is complete.
6. Fidget Spinner
This game can be played with a partner or even independently for extra practice. It is great as a fast finisher activity. You will need the FREE printable game board for each student and a fidget spinner. I personally like to laminate the game board and have students play using a dry erase marker.
With this game, the fidget spinner acts as a timer. One player will spin it on the table and both players will answer as many facts as they can before the fidget spinner stops.
The winner is the person who correctly answered the most math facts.
7. Roll Four in a Row
This is another great multiplication game to play in math centers! All you need is one of the game boards laminated for each student, two dice and a dry erase marker for each player.
Players will take turns rolling both dice. They will add the two numbers rolled and then multiply by the number on the top of the game board. The player will find and color the product in the game board grid.
Students can only color in one number per turn, even though the product will appear more than once on their board. If that product is no longer available on their board, they don’t get to color anything and it is their partner’s turn.
The winner is the first person with four squares colored in a row.
You can give each student the same board or you can differentiate by giving students different boards based on the facts that they need the most practice with.
Note: This game goes up to x12!
Multiplication Games for the Whole Class
8. Class Relay Race
This is a fun whole group game that requires almost no prep. It is the perfect activity for that extra 10 minutes that you need to fill last minute. All you need is the class white board and white board markers.
Before you start the game, divide the white board into two spaces. Write a dozen (or so) multiplication facts on each side of the white board. Divide your class into two teams.
Students will form two single file lines. When you say “go” the first person runs up to board and answers ONE of the math facts on their side of the board. Then they run back and give the marker to the next person in line. That person can then run up to the board and answer any one of the facts.
The winning team is the team who correctly answers all of their team’s multiplication facts first.
9. Bingo
This game is perfect to play whole group.
Each student will need a bingo board. Students will fill each box in with a multiplication fact. You can let them choose any facts or you can set rules. Maybe the facts need to be x6, x7, x8 or x9. It’s up to you!
You will call out products. I just use flashcards and tell the students the product without showing them the fact. This makes prep easier. If a student has a fact that equals the product you called out, they can cover the fact or color it in. If they have multiple facts with the product, they can only color in one of them!
The first person to get a complete row covered is the winner.
10. Swat a Fact
This is another fun whole group multiplication game. It is fun to surprise students with an engaging game on a Friday afternoon!
For this game, you will need two fly swatters, two sets of the product cards and one set of the teacher calling cards. Divide the class white board in half. Tape the product cards to the white board. You will be taping the same products on both sides of your board and that is why you printed two sets.
Split the class into two teams and have the teams line up in front of their side of the white board. You will call out the math fact. The first people in the team lines will swat the correct product on the board. The first person to swat the correct answer will earn a point for their team. They will give their fly swatters to the next students in line and the game will continue until you have called all of the facts or you run out of time.
The winning team is the one with the most points at the end.
The free stuff that you have been waiting for…
So are you super excited to get your students playing these fun multiplication games? I am giving you all of the game cards and printable game boards for FREE! Just click on the image below to get signed up!
(Note: I will send the games right away. I HIGHLY recommend using a personal address rather than a school address. If you don’t get the games right away, be certain to check your junk mail folder.)
Enjoy those free games! Your students are going to think that you are the coolest teacher EVER!
If you love these games and you want more math games for addition, subtraction, and division then you should check out our math fact program bundle. It includes games for all four operations!
Have a Not So Wimpy day!
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing!
Wow Jamie your ideas are super fun thank you so much for sharing these
Thank you so much for the FREE multiplication games! This is my first year teaching 3rd grade, but my 19th year of teaching. I could use any resources that I can find for multiplication. We just started with arrays, repeated addition, and equal groups before our Fall break. My I love the games to use for centers!
These games are absolutely AMAZING! I can tell my students are getting a little bored with the board games I’ve created, so I’m excited to try these out. I want to forget my lesson and play them all tomorrow!
Thanks!!
Thank you for the wonderful resources!
I would love to have these multiplication games! Thank you so much!
I look forward to receiving the multiplication games set. Thank you.
I need some fun ways to practice math facts with my struggling students. I think this will motivate them to learn and maybe practice! Thank you.