Math games by age: what to practise from 3 to 8
Try it: make ten
Tap the blue counters to move them into the first ten frame. When it is full, you can read the answer: ten and some more.
Every child moves at their own pace
The ages below are typical, not deadlines. Some four-year-olds add, and some seven-year-olds still need counters, and both are normal. What matters is the order: each skill builds on the one before. Early math research, including the What Works Clearinghouse guide Teaching Math to Young Children, recommends following that developmental order rather than jumping ahead.
Ages 3 to 4: see, count and compare
What to practise
- Recognising small amounts (1 to 4) without counting, called subitizing.
- Counting objects: one number per object, and the last number tells how many.
- Comparing: which group has more, which has fewer.
Games to try
- Counting games: dice patterns, tap-to-count and more or fewer.
- Memory Match: short, visual and calm.
At home: count stairs and spoons, and ask “which plate has more?”
Ages 4 to 5: numbers to 10
What to practise
- Counting reliably to 10 and then 20.
- Reading numbers and matching them to amounts.
- Linear number board games. Research by Siegler and Ramani found that playing a simple linear board game numbered 1 to 10 for about an hour improved preschoolers’ number knowledge, with gains that lasted weeks.
Games to try: counting games level 3, and classic board games with a numbered track.
Ages 5 to 6 (kindergarten): ten frames and bonds
What to practise
- Seeing numbers on a ten frame as five and some more.
- Number bonds to 5 and to 10: which two numbers make 10?
- Adding within 5 and then 10 with objects and pictures.
Games to try
- Ten frame game
- Number bonds game
- The first steps of addition games
Read more in our guide to number bonds and ten frames.
Ages 6 to 7 (first grade): adding and subtracting within 20
What to practise
- Counting on from the bigger number.
- Doubles and near doubles (6 + 7 is 6 + 6 and 1 more).
- Make ten: 8 + 5 = 8 + 2 + 3.
- Take away, and subtraction as “think addition” (12 − 8: what goes with 8 to make 12?).
Games to try
Our step-by-step guide on how to teach a child addition explains each strategy.
Ages 7 to 8 (second grade) and up: fluency and beyond
What to practise
- Knowing addition and subtraction facts within 20 quickly.
- Place value: tens and ones.
- Starting multiplication with the 2, 5 and 10 times tables.
Games to try
- The Mixed facts step in Math Games for Kids.
- Times Tables from about age 7 or 8.
- Mental Math from about age 8.
Signs your child is ready for the next step
Moving on too early is the most common reason children get stuck. Look for these signs before starting something new:
- Ready to add: your child counts a group correctly and answers “how many?” without counting again.
- Ready for ten frames: your child counts to 10 reliably and can compare two small groups.
- Ready for make ten: the bonds of 10 come quickly, without fingers, most of the time.
- Ready for subtraction within 20: addition within 20 feels easy and your child can explain a strategy, such as counting on or doubles.
- Ready for times tables: adding and subtracting within 20 is quick, and your child understands groups (“3 bags of 4 apples”).
If a new step feels hard, go back one step for a few days. There is no rush; confidence built on an easy step carries a child much further than struggling through a hard one.
Choosing a good math game
A good math game for young children teaches one idea at a time, shows pictures next to the numbers, gives instant feedback, and never punishes a mistake with a loud buzzer. It keeps levels short and saves progress. Points and animations are a bonus, not the point.
How much practice?
Short and frequent wins. Research on retrieval practice with primary school children shows that answering from memory, spread over several days, helps facts stick. Five to ten minutes a day is plenty.
One path for every age
All of these steps are joined together in one free game, Math Games for Kids: pick where your child is today and move forward one short level at a time. You will find more games sorted by age in kids games.
