Are you looking for a way to help your child practice multiplication, without unnecessary stress and unwanted worksheets? Consider these 3rd grade multiplication games, which your child can play with his friends, that reinforce important math concepts and are fun for everyone!
1. Buzz
Buzz can help children think through multiples of a certain number. To play Buzz, have your child or his friend pick a number between 1 and 9. Then, the kids will alternate counting from one to a set number, with each child counting one number at a time. Whenever they come to a multiple of that number, they say “buzz” instead of the number. If a child forgets to say “buzz,” he or she is out.
So, here’s how the game would look. If your children choose 3 as the number, they would begin counting. The first child says, “1.” The second child says, “2,” and the third child says, “buzz” instead of 3. This continues until you reach a decided number, such as 27.
2. POW!
Write the word POW! on approximately 8 post-it notes. Stick these on the back (answer side) of 8 flash cards. Show the kids the flash cards, and the one who answers the fastest gets to keep the flash card. However, if the card has a POW! On the back, the child must surrender all of his or her cards, and the POW! is removed from play. The winner is the one who accumulates the most cards at the end of the game. This is a great 3rd grade multiplication games to practice multiplication facts in a way that all children have an equal chance of winning.
3. Math UNO
If you have a set of UNO cards, this is a great way to get your child and his friends engaged in multiplication practice, without a lot of work on your part. The game is played as standard UNO, but the player must multiply the card he is discarding with the card he is playing it on top of.
So, if the child is playing a red 4 on top of a red 6, he must multiply 4 x 6 = 24. A child who fails to multiply must draw an extra card. There is no time limit on how long the child gets to do the multiplication, though, if he is having trouble remembering a fact. Wild and other special cards are a “pass” and do not require children to multiply. With this game, you can take a favorite childhood card game and use it to practice 3rd grade multiplication.
At the end of the day, if you feel that these 3rd grade multiplication games aren’t enough, don’t forget to check out Thinkster Math. This tablet-based tutoring system lets your child learn at his or her own pace in the comfort of your home, while getting instruction from certified teachers. It offers game-like play to keep kids interested, so you can keep the learning going, even when the child doesn’t have other kids to play these multiplication games with.
