This article may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always had a bit of a hard time getting my kids excited about math. My little ones would always rather read a book or write a story than do math work.
But after years of teaching in the classroom and in a homeschool setting, I recently unlocked a secret that changed everything — math board games.
If you want to supplement math lessons or you want a fun board game that helps increase and develop math skills, you will love this list of fun math board games
Whether you’re looking for a way to supplement your math lessons or you just want a fun board game that helps increase and develop math skills, math-forward board games are an incredibly useful tool.
If you have young kids, I am sure you know the joy of sitting down with the family to spend an hour or two enjoying a quality board game. Or maybe you’re a classroom or homeschool teacher and are looking for more resources for your school days.
Board games can mean a lot more than a few hours of casual fun. They can also be some of the most engaging ways to hone your child’s math skills and support their progress, usually without them even noticing.
But to do so, you’ll need to first need to choose a game that is fun, engaging, and – most importantly – features the maths credentials needed to make it a productive and enriching experience for your prospective mathematicians.
There are a lot of factors to consider, including player age, mathematical concepts covered, and gameplay complexity.
Educational board games are a great way to enhance learning and these games all focus on mathematics.
Here’s the good news — I’ve tested and reviewed a number of different math board games, and as a longtime educator both in traditional schools and homeschool settings, I have a good idea of which ones are worth your time and money and which ones you should avoid.
To make things as simple as possible, I’ve separated my recommendations by age group and provided an overview of the different math concepts each game incorporates.
I’ve also fully updated this guide for 2023 to ensure all of the recommendations are fully up to date and are the best options currently on the market today.
So, without further ado, here are 15 of the best board games to help hone your child’s math skills, as well as how they could help your child learn!
Easy Navigation
Math Games for Toddlers and Preschoolers (Aged 5 and below)
Toddlers and preschoolers will enjoy these math board games that feature basic math skills. Learn to count and work with simple addition with these fun mathematical learning games.
Alana’s Animals
Concepts Learned from Alana’s Animals
- Early Math
- Counting
- Number Recognition
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Animal Recognition
- Cause and Effect
- Subitizing
Available from Amazon.
Alana’s Animals is a fun, light-hearted math game for toddlers and preschools, as well as those just coming to grips with initial numeracy. Offering your child both a taste of problem-solving, and a head start in early numeracy concepts, I’ve found that this is a great game to get your child thinking mathematically without them even noticing.
In the game, players are tasked with building a farmyard by collecting cards with different quantities of animals. In doing so, they earn Reward cards, which translate to ‘Apples’. At the end of the game, the player with the most apples wins.
Although the game is relatively simple, it introduces players to key mathematical concepts like number recognition, rational counting, subitizing (being able to recognize quantities without individually counting them), and basic quantities and magnitudes.
Monopoly Junior
Concepts Learned from Monopoly Junior
- Basic Math
- Mental math
- Money Management
- Cooperation
- Memory Skills
- Strategy
- Patience
- Sportsmanship
Available from Amazon
Monopoly Junior is one of the most popular math board games out there right now – and most people don’t even know it.
Of course, you may be left asking “How on earth does Monopoly teach you about math?”
Like regular Monopoly, Monopoly Junior involves traveling around the board and purchasing properties. However, the property values are far smaller (think $2 for passing Go.) The game’s currency includes also only $1 bills, which makes for simple arithmetic and mental math training for younger ones. That means kids are constantly engaging in math as they count and exchange money, count spaces on the board, and so on.
When I’ve played with my kids, I’ve watched their math skills grow as they’re tasked with managing their own in-game money, which involves addition and subtraction. When they land on a space to purchase a property, they have to count out the correct amount of money to pay to the bank. An added bonus is I feel it’s taught them a bit about basic money management and financial literacy.
Best of all, while regular games of Monopoly tend to last for hours, Monopoly Junior is faster to play and easier to learn. However, there are quite a few mechanics to get used to, so in my experience, it’s best if children are supervised until they get the hang of it.
Clumsy Thief Junior
Concepts Learned from Clumsy Thief Junior
- Basic Math
- Counting
- Addition
- Subtraction
Available from Amazon
Perfect for small groups of players aged 5 years or above, Clumsy Thief Junior is a colourful card game in which players can use their math skills to stack food and protect their stacks from the greedy paws of a pesky cartoon raccoon.
In the game, players collect food cards by adding values to 10 with the cards they have been dealt. Players can steal from one another by making ten, or by activating Thief cards which can snatch other player’s completed stacks.
The incorporation of paired image scaffolding, the thief card, and the basket card take this beyond just a basic math board game. Kids get to have fun and see it as a covert activity rather than a learning task.
Although the Junior version is designed for kids aged 5 and above, there is also a standard version simply titled ‘Clumsy Thief’. In this version, players work with money instead of stacks of food, and certain gameplay mechanics are made more complex. For this reason, it can entertain up to 6 players aged 8 or up.
The Ladybug Game
Concepts Learned from The Ladybug Game
- Basic Math
- Mental Math
- Number Recognition
- Color Recognition
- Shape Recognition
Available from Amazon
The Ladybug Game isn’t explicitly a math board game. Rather, it is a learning game with well-publicized reading and arithmetic credentials.
Essentially, the game is a tabletop adventure in which players navigate a randomized story with a variety of characters, locations, and events. These features are designed to introduce math concepts to early years players, as the game is recommended for players aged 3 and over.
Using colors, numbers, words, and symbols, the game quickly teaches even the youngest of players how it works, keeping kids entertained and learning by themselves. I’ve even played this game with kids who weren’t even quite 3 years old yet and they were able to get the hang of it pretty well.
Perhaps not the most math-focused on this list, but one that will support a myriad of early features of your child’s education.
Math Board Games for Elementary Kids (Aged 5 to 10)
Elementary kids will benefit from these math learning games. Use them in your classroom, in your homeschool, or as part of your family game night.
Sum Swamp
Concepts Learned from Sum Swamp
- Basic Mental Math
- Addition
- Subtraction
Available from Amazon
Sum Swamp is a reasonably simple addition and subtraction game for elementary children between the ages of 5 years old and 10 years old.
Although it does not cover any more complicated math concepts like multiplication or division, I’ve found it’s one of the best out there for allowing kids a chance to hone their basic mathematical fluency as they practice adding and subtracting.
In particular, I like that the gameplay in Sum Swamp is simple. Players roll the dice to solve an addition or subtraction problem. If they get the right answer, they can move their marker one space forward. At the end of the game, the first player to reach the other side of the swamp wins!
Proof!
Concepts Learned from Proof
- Mental Math
- Math Memorization
- Speed Math
- Addition
- Subtraction
- Multiplication
- Division
- Square Roots
Available from Amazon
Proof! is a fast-paced, exciting mental math card game for the whole family with a very simple concept: the goal, for every player, is to find an equation of two numbers that equals a third.
Each number in the proof must therefore be represented by one of the nine cards. Once you have one, simply shout out the answer. Share your proof with the group and, if the math works out, you get the cards. The player with the most cards by the end of the game is crowned the winner.
Cards in the deck range from 0 to 100, meaning some rounds are significantly more difficult than others. So, although the game can be played by anyone, the manufacturer recommends that between 2 and 6 players aged nine or above would get the most out of it.
ADSUMUDI
Concepts Learned from ADSUMUDI
- Mental Math
- Basic Math
- Logic
- Problem Solving
- Addition
- Subtraction
- Multiplication
- Division
Available from Amazon.
ADSUMUDI is a fun mental math game, which involves players using basic math concepts to figure out each puzzle on a set of cards. I’ve played this game with kids before and they don’t even realize they’re engaging in a learning session. The game becomes a friendly battle of wits.
The game comes with a set of 52 cards, containing 416 unique puzzles in total. The players are given the answering goal, and it is their job to use a combination of the numbers on the cards to arrive at the answer.
ADSUMUDI requires adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing together five other numbers, working out the equation to Adsumudi’s puzzle. Therefore, the creator recommends between 2 and 6 players aged 9 or above to get the most out of it.
Head Full of Numbers
Concepts Learned from Head Full of Numbers
- Basic Math
- Logic
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Addition
- Subtraction
- Multiplication
- Division
Available from Amazon
Head Full of Numbers is a bit like Boggle, but with a distinctive and extremely entertaining mathematical spin. What my family really likes is that the game has no limit to how many players can be involved, making it perfect for the classroom.
In the game, players work with dice to create equations with the numbers rolled. Numbers on the dice include 0, 1, 2, 7, 8, and 9. Once the timer has been set the dice have been cast, players must race to write down as many valid equations as they can which feature the numbers that land face-up.
Most equations can be solved with simple addition or subtraction, but some more challenging rounds will require multiplication and division. Furthermore, the timer could be a cause of great stress, particularly if the child is just coming to terms with these concepts.
Because of this, the manufacturer recommends that players be 7 or older to get the most out of this exciting maths game.
Prime Climb
Concepts Learned from Prime Climb
- Basic Math Skills
- Addition
- Subtraction
- Multiplication
- Division
Available from Amazon
Prime Climb is a game centered on all things arithmetic. Each player is given two pawns on the 0 circles and must work their way to the 101 spot, armed with only their math skills and a winning strategy.
They must then take turns rolling two 10-sided dice, applying the values to their pawns using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Along the way, players who land on other players will send them back to the start. The first to reach 101 wins the game!
The game’s primary mechanics focus on basic arithmetic, multiplication, division, and prime numbers. Because of this, the manufacturers recommend this math board game for players 10 and above, although they also concede that it is appropriate for players aged 8 and above with adult supervision.
Blokus
Concepts Learned from Blokus
- Basic Math Skills
- Strategy
- Spatial Relationships
- Patience
- Sportsmanship
- Counting
- Subitizing
- Mental Math
Available from Amazon
Blokus is an abstract strategy game that involves placing a sequence of Tetris-style pieces on the board. Players must attempt to place as many pieces as possible on the board while following the strict set of rules as to how they can be placed.
Each player chooses a color and must place their sequences of blocks with no two pieces being adjacent to one another. This makes the game extremely competitive, as players work to both maximize the number of blocks on the board and cut other players off.
While this game is not as explicitly math-based as others, it does work to bolster your child’s rational counting, subitizing, and mental math skills. For this reason, the manufacturer recommends all four players be aged 7 or above.
Tri-FACTa! Math Games
Concepts Learned from Tri-FACTa
- Math Skills
- Math Facts and Memorization
- Addition
- Subtraction
- Multiplication
- Division
Available from Amazon
Tri-FACTa! is a fun set of math-based card games that help players develop skills in equation building, operations, and problem-solving.
In the game, players work to create ‘fact triangles’ from dished-out numbered playing cards. After each turn, they spin the board around to the next player. At the end of the game, the player who has placed all their cards first, and then yells “Tri-FACTa”, wins.
There are two versions of the game: an addition and subtraction version for aged 5 and above and a more complex multiplication and division for players aged 8 and above.
Either way, this simple card game is a great way to boost the mental math skills of your kids, no matter the stage they are at!
Super Math Spy
Concepts Learned from Super Math Spy
- Mental Math
- Critical Thinking
- Problem Solving
- Addition
- Subtraction
- Multiplication
- Division
- Logic
- STEM
- Number Sequences
Available from Amazon
Super Math Spy is a game that requires sharp wit and mental math skills to come out on top. This builds the player’s abilities with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, as well as applying them to logical situations.
In the game, the Spies wear secret decoder glasses to solve their mission cards – in other words, they use number sequences to solve equations.
The game also has a lot of replay value, considering the over 100 mission cards and 27 fingerprint tokens.
Ticket to Ride
Concepts Learned from Ticket to Ride
- Strategy
- Cause and Effect
- Long-term Thinking
- Basic Addition
Available from Amazon
Like Monopoly, Ticket to Ride is an extremely popular board game that can be found in homes all over the world.
But, unbeknownst to many, the fun-for-all-ages game is also a fantastic tool for giving young mathematicians experience dealing with basic math concepts.
In Ticket to Ride, players draw cards to build train lines between the major cities in North America. Alternatively, you could be building tracks in Europe, if you are playing the European version.
But where is the math? Every decision you make in Ticket to Ride requires a trade-off, weighing up present mathematical scores versus potential future scores. These are quite complex math concepts to grapple with, so the game is recommended for players aged 7 and up.
Math Board Games for Middle School and High School Students
The math games in this section, while officially recommended for elementary ages, I believe are best suited for tweens and teens. They are more challenging and encourage faster and stronger mental math skills.
For this reason, these math board games would be perfect middle school and high school students.
Equate
Concepts Learned from Equate
- Basic Math Skills
- Critical Thinking
- Problem Solving
- Strategy
- Addition
- Subtraction
- Multiplication
- Division
- Fractions
Available from Amazon
Equate is a math game that is equal parts Scrabble and a crossword puzzle. Participants play on a 19×19 game board, where they take turns creating mathematically correct equations horizontally and diagonally, building on one another’s work to win.
Equate has been used in both family and classroom settings, bolstering its credentials as a constructive (but also extremely fun) math-based experience. However, because of the complexity of some of the challenges, it is recommended that players be aged 8 and up. Furthermore, institutional adoption of the game has pushed its price up quite significantly, making it the most expensive on this list.
Math Rush
Concepts Learned from Math Rush
- Addition
- Subtraction
- Speed Math
- Basic Math Skills
- Critical Thinking Skills
- STEAM
- Cooperation
- Sequencing
And if you buy the newly released versions 2 and 3, you will also learn:
- Multiplication
- Division
- Exponents
- Decimals
- Fractions
- Percentages
Available from Amazon.
Math Rush is unique among games in this list as it isn’t explicitly competitive.
Instead, it is a thrilling cooperative math card game that is the perfect opportunity to help give a group of young mathematicians, of any skill level, a bit of practice.
The game is split into three rounds. In each round, players must work together to find the right balance of strategy and speed while sequencing sums and differences. All this happens within strict time limits, so cooperation is key.
It can be tricky, though. So, the manufacturer recommends a maximum of five players aged 8 or above.
What Are Your Favorite Math Board Games?
So, there we have it: 15 of the best board games that also help to introduce, train, and boost your child’s confidence in several complex mathematical concepts.
There are games on this list aimed at early years to teenagers, so there is more than enough to choose from if you are looking to help your child wrestle with a particular concept if need be.
Now tell us – what are your favorite math board games? Leave a comment with your favorite math games below and maybe we’ll add it to this list!
Free Printable Games
Did you know that in addition to the list of amazing games below, I’ve got a collection of free printable games?
If you like including games in your child’s studies, you need to grab this free printable collection of games.
This collection includes 11 printable games (50 pages) for your kid to enjoy, no matter where you are! Enjoy in the car, at the desk, or on the living room floor.
And the best part is these printable games are educational too!
Grab your collection of free printable games now!
Perfect for ages 3-13.
Related Posts
31+ Educational Board Games
16+ Educational Card Games
50+ Online Learning Games
Math Games for Kids
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Writing Prompts (2025 Update) - June 4, 2025
- 8+ Super Fun Dinosaur STEM Activities for Kids - June 4, 2025
- The 6 Best Learn To Read Programs for Kids (2025 Guide) - June 4, 2025