Multiplication Games That Are Fun For Kids And Easy for Teachers

Games are a great way to encourage teamwork while still making learning fun. Multiplication games, in particular, can be a great way to reinforce the concept of multiplication for struggling students. Here are three games that are sure to get your students engaged and working together.

Multiplication Games That Are Fun (And Competitive!)

Multiplication War

This is a twist on the classic card game of War. To play, you will need a deck of cards (Aces through Tens). Remove the Jokers and shuffle the deck. Deal the cards evenly among the players. The player with the Ace of Spades begins and play passes clockwise around the table.

To take a turn, each player flips over the top card of their stack and places it face-up in the middle of the table. The player with the highest number (Ace being high) captures all of the other cards and takes them into their pile. In case of a tie, both players put down another card and compare again until one player has all four cards from that particular turn. The first player to lose all of their cards (or with the most cards at the end of a pre-determined amount of time) is declared the winner!

Multiplication Games That Are Fun (And Fast-Paced!)

Multiplication Speed

This game can be played with 2 or more players. To set up, each player will need a piece of paper and something to write with. On their paper, write out the multiplication facts for one number (2-12). Make sure there is an equal amount for each player! Once everyone has their facts written out, have all players stand up and line up behind their papers.

When you say “go”, each student will race to answer as many multiplication problems as they can in one minute. The goal is to get through their entire list! After time is up, count up each student’s correctly answered problems – whoever has the most correct answers is the winner! You can play this game multiple times by having students switch papers so they’re practicing different facts each round.

Multiplication Games That Are Fun (And Require Teamwork!)

Multiplication Scavenger Hunt

This game can be played indoors or outdoors (if weather permits). To set up, you will need index cards and something to write with for each team as well as prizes for each team that completes all tasks first (could be candy, extra recess time, etc.). On each index card, write out a different multiplication problem. Make sure there is an equal amount for each team!

Once all tasks are written out, divide students into teams and explain that they will have to complete every task on their list in order to win the prize. If playing indoors, hide index cards around the room before teams start – if playing outdoors, you can tape them to trees or lay them on the ground. Teams must work together to find all tasks and then solve them correctly in order to win!

Multiplication Knockout

Knockout has always been the preferred math activity in my classrooms. There’s just something about going head-to-head against your peers in a good old-fashioned showdown—but while learning a TON along the way. You can read in-depth about the rules of Knockout here but here’s the short version:

1- Kids line up in 2 teams facing the whiteboard.

2- A slide is projected and the first player in each line calls out the answer on their side.

3 – The player to answer correctly first stays in the game and goes to the end of their line. The player who does not answer correctly first is out and sits on the sidelines.

You can check out some of your Knockout options here:

All Knockout Games

Multiplication Knockout

Or, you can try the free multiplication game here first:

There are all sorts of fun slides along the way that get kids back in the game, give them free passes, etc. One thing is for sure–there are always literal squeals of joy when the first Knockout slide appears.
Games are a great way to engage your students while still teaching them important concepts like multiplication. These three games are sure to get your students working together while still having fun!