Simple Math Games- very little prep!

I'm on Spring Break and enjoying a lazy day of blogstalking finding so many spectacular ideas, packets, activities, and crafts and I want to do them ALL with my class! I wish we had more than 6 hours a day- it's not enough time! Wait, did I say that? Am I crazy? It must be the Spring Break talking! No, really, I wish we taught an extra hour because it would take some stress off about trying to fit everything in. But I still wouldn't have enough time for all the fun ideas out there. Oh well, I'll fit in what I can. 

While I've been sitting here I realized that there's a fun math game I haven't played with my class this year that's perfect for place value when we go back next week. I posted about it HERE. It's super-simple and requires almost NO PREP! What could be better than that, huh? 

Using the same type of simple game board, students can practice adding or subtracting and greater than/less than at the same time. Most of the time I use our lined writing paper and fold it in half. Each student writes his/her name at the top of a column, they draw a line down the middle, and voila! a game board. I also made this quick version of the game board that you can download if you like.

To play the adding version player 1 rolls two dice, adds the numbers, and writes the sum on the first line on his/her side of the board. Player 2 does the same and records their sum on the same line under their column. The student with the greater number circles their sum and wins that round. The game is over when the students have used all the lines on that side of the paper. The student who wins the most rounds wins the game. I have those who finish quickly turn the paper over and play a second game on the back.

When we play the subtraction version, I tell them to roll the two dice but put the bigger number in front like this

and subtract. Again each player takes a turn and writes the answer under their column. You could have students circle the smaller or larger number to win the round- whatever you feel like doing!

My students always enjoy these and I like that they're fun, good fact practice, and easy to prepare and explain. Thanks for stopping by!