Report by Shyla and Sophie.

For all of these activities you need to remove all the picture cards from your pack before you start.

To improve multiplication skills.

Game 1

Remove all picture cards from the pack – decide which table you will be working on, turn over 1 card at a time. The first person to say what that number is when it is multiplied by your table number gets to keep the card. The winner is the person with the most cards.

Variation 1

Turn over 2 cards at once and the first person to give the product of the two numbers gets to keep them. (You get the product by multiplying the two numbers together).

Variation 2

Turn over two cards as before, make the first card a multiple of ten. E.g. if you turn over 7 and 4 the calculation to perform is 70 x 4.

Variation 3

Turn over three cards to make a one digit and a two digit number e.g. 7 x 43.

To improve addition skills.

Game 1

Remove all picture cards from the pack – decide which number you will be adding, the infants may be adding multiples of ten the juniors near 10s for example 9, 99, 19, 29 etc, turn over 1 card at a time. The first person to say what that number is when it is added to your chosen number gets to keep the cards. The winner is the person with the most cards.

Variation 1

Turn over two cards to make a 2 digit number and then add your chosen number as in game 1.

Game 2

Turn over 2, 3 or 4 cards at once and the first person to give the sum of the numbers gets to keep the cards.

Variation 1

Turn over 4 cards to make two 2 digit numbers, the first person to give the sum of the numbers gets to keep the cards. This can be differentiated by adding a decimal point between the digits or by turning over more cards to make bigger numbers.

To improve subtraction skills.

Game 1

Remove all picture cards from the pack – decide which number you will be subtracting, the infants may be subtracting multiples of ten the juniors near 10s for example 9, 99, 19, 29 etc, turn over 2 or 3 cards at a time to make a 2 or3 digit number. The first person to say what the difference is between the number and your chosen number gets to keep the cards.

Game 2

Turn over 2 cards the first person to find the difference keeps the cards.

Variation 1

Turn over 4 cards to make two 2 digit numbers the first person to find the difference keeps the cards. You can make this more challenging by making 3 digit numbers or by adding in a decimal point.

Game 2

Developing number bonds to 10 – children turn over a card the first person to say what you need to add to make 10 keeps the card. The winner is the person with the most cards at the end.

Variation 1

Complete as above using number bonds to 100 or 1000 by increasing the number of cards turned over.

To improve division skills.

Game 1

Decide on a table you need to work on e.g. dividing by 3 then turn over 2 playing cards to make a 2 digit number player 1 says how many 3s are in the number player 2 checks with a calculator – if player 1 is correct they keep the cards. E.g if you turned over a 3 and an 8 you would have to say 12 as there are 12 3s in 38

Variation 1

For the infants this could be done using the 10 x table or even the 5s or 2s.

Variation 2

This game can also be played where the player must give the remainder as well.

Game 2

Children turn over 2 cards to make a two digit number player1 must then give all the factor pairs that they know for that number, player 2 checks on a calculator. For each correct factor pair they gain 2 points but for each they get wrong they lose a point. If it is a prime number the child must shout prime this gives them 4 points, if it is a square number they must shout square this gains them 3 points.

As children develop their knowledge and understanding through years 3 – 6 teachers will be asking them to look at any calculation and ask “Can we do this in our heads?” Sometimes this is supported by a drawing, diagram or numerical jotting (notes). If they can’t do it largely in their heads they should be looking for the most suitable written method or, during years 5 and 6, using a calculator for more complex calculations.

Here we try, as simply as possible, to help you to help your children. We take you through the ideas relating to children’s number development from the earliest counting and mental skills to their recording of calculations to support thinking. If you’ve never felt very confident with numbers and calculations this might also help you! Read on and see.

Read Our Calculation Policy