MATH FACTS PRACTICE
An Alternative Activity to Flash Cards

BEAT THE CALCULATOR*
Materials: 1 calculator & a deck of cards 

Players: 2 (parent, child)

(face cards removed)
Directions:

1. The parent is the “caller” and the “calculator” & the child is “the brain”

2.  Shuffle the deck of cards and place it face down

3.   The caller draws two cards from the number deck and asks for their product

4.  The Calculator solves the problem with a calculator. The brain solves it without a calculator

5.  See who get the answer first—points can be kept

6.  The caller continues to draw two cards at a time from the number deck and repeats steps

7.  Players trade roles every 10 turns or so

Game Extension

In this version of the game the caller:

Draws two cards from the number deck

Attaches a 0 to either one of the factors or to both factors, before asking for the product

 
*Game Adapted from one found at www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/math