Math Dice Jr. is a game that uses addition and subtraction using its dice. The game is a kids game and is a great resource to use to help kids learn math or practice math as they play.
What’s included in the game?
- 1 large 12-sided die
- 5 large 6-sided dice of different colors
- 1 cloth score board
- 1 cloth bag
How does the game play?
Players will each choose a color to use as their player token to keep track of their placement on the score board. The game is played in rounds. Each round a new player starts the round changing in a clockwise order.
The player who goes first will roll the large white 12-sided die first. This is called the target die. Then, that player will roll the 5 other 6-sided dice called the scoring dice. The player then needs to use the 6-sided dice in any combination they can or want using addition and/or subtraction to make an equation that equals to the target number shown on the 12-sided die. Players will get to move up on the track one space for each die they use in their equations. For this reason, players might want to be creative with their equations as much as they can.
After the initial player rolls, the next player will have the opportunity to continue using the left over 6-sided dice to make an equation to equal the same target number. This continues until it’s not possible to make an equation with the dice available to equal the value on the target die. This is the end of the round and each player will then finally get to move on the score track 1 space for each die they claimed in their equation during this round.
The dice are then passed to the player to the left and they will roll them all and start a new round. Players who are closer to the start player will have more opportunities to use dice to move on the track. Players who are last in order might not even get a chance to make an equation. The game continues with new players starting each round until a player makes it to the finish line on the score track. That player wins the game.
The Verdict?
How fun can a game with only 6 dice actually be? Surprisingly, really fun! We were nervous that a player would roll all the dice, claim their equation, and pass all the dice to the next player to roll and perform their turn. The fact that the game continues after a player makes their equation using the same dice until there is no possible way to make an equation made this game so much better. Suddenly, players take a large lead or players got bummed out if the remaining dice couldn’t be used to get to the target number. All players were paying attention to the game seeing if they could use the remaining dice to get some extra movement on the track.
Parents will know how to adapt the game for their kids. My 5-year-old knows how to use 2 dice to get to the target number, but has a little more difficulty using both addition and subtraction in the same equation and using 3 or more dice. This led us to some great teaching moments. My 3-year-old knows how to count the pips on the dice, so we just asked him to use dice to count to the target number. We didn’t try to teach subtraction to him, simply because he isn’t at that level yet, and that was totally OK to do in the game.
Really for what is included in the game, this was a fun game that helps kids with their math skills. The dice are nice looking, being big clunky colorful dice. The kids sometimes have a hard time rolling them at the same time, but it’s fun for them to touch. After playing the game and teaching my kids how it’s played, I found them with the game out playing the game with their stuffed animal “friends”. When I walked in the room, I took a gander at the dice to see if they were playing the game or just playing with the game. IT made me happy that I saw 3 time totaling to 9 with the target die showing a 9 as well.
You can grab Math Dice Jr. on Amazon.
Images via Brody and Think Fun
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