Flashback to middle school math class: the same old review drills to practice important math skills, day in and day out. As a former teacher, I get it. Traditional math review can be a snooze-fest. Older students need a little more encouragement. There are many different ways to review. Sometimes you just need a break from online games like Kahoot and Quizizz and dull math worksheets, so I have curated a list of fun math review games that you should give a whirl.

But imagine a classroom where students are laughing, strategizing, and genuinely excited about math. Let’s turn that dream into a reality with five math review games that are anything but boring! So get ready to add some of these to your lesson plans! At the end of the blog post, I’ll share some of my favorite classroom rewards that can be used as prizes during the classroom games!

1. Trashketball: Hoops Meet Math

Trasketball is an engaging game that will get students on their feet and excited. Set up a trash can or basket at one end of the room – this is your hoop. Students solve math problems and earn the chance to score by shooting a paper ball into the ‘basket’. It’s a fun way to practice math skills with a bit of friendly competition.

2. Cake Walk

Cake Walk is another one of my favorite math games that combines math review, music, and sweet rewards. It’s perfect for creating a fun learning atmosphere while challenging students with math problems.

Preparing for Cake Walk

1. Gather Materials:
   • Snack cakes and candies for rewards.
   • A music player for the walking phase.
   • Math problems are prepared in advance, ideally multi-step practical problems.
   • Sheets with work boxes for students to show their work.
2. Arrange the Classroom:
   • Ensure every student has a seat arranged in a circle. Unlike traditional Cake Walk games, no chairs are removed during the game.
   • Organize the snack cakes and candies in an accessible area.
3. Parental Involvement:
   • Consider asking parents for snack cake donations, keeping the purpose a delightful surprise for the students.

Playing Cake Walk

1. Music and Movement:
   • Start playing music and have students walk around the circle of chairs.
   • When the music stops, students quickly find a seat.
2. Presenting the Problem:
   • Display a math problem for the class to solve.
   • Students work on their individual sheets to solve the problem, showing all their work.
3. Checking Work and Drawing Numbers:
   • As students work on the problem, walk around the circle to check answers and stamp their sheets.
   • After checking, draw numbers randomly (each student should have a number).
   • If a student’s number is called and they have the correct answer with shown work, they get to pick a snack cake.
4. Multiple Winners:
   • For each question, draw multiple numbers to allow several winners.
   • If a student’s number is called again in subsequent rounds, they receive a piece of candy instead.
5. Ensuring Everyone Wins:
   • In the last round, allow students who haven’t been picked yet to show their work and choose a snack cake.
   • Ensure every student gets a cake by the end of the game.

Tips for a Successful Cake Walk

• Keep the pace lively with music and quick transitions to each new problem.
• Choose math problems that are challenging yet solvable within the timeframe.
• Encourage all students to solve every problem, even if their number isn’t called, to promote continuous learning.
• Regularly rotate the sequence of numbers drawn to maintain fairness.

Cake Walk is more than just a game; it’s an innovative way to engage students in math review. The combination of music, movement, and the excitement of potentially winning a snack makes learning enjoyable. This game is especially effective for advanced students who can handle multi-step problems. It’s a creative approach to teaching that fosters a love for learning and makes math fun!

3. Ghosts in the Graveyard

If you’ve been around for awhile, you KNOW “Ghosts in the Graveyard” is my absolute favorite engaging and dynamic classroom game that’s perfect for reviewing important topics through friendly competition and teamwork.

Preparing the Game

1. Create Challenges:
   • Prepare challenges based on your study guide. Each challenge should have 2-3 questions related to the subject you’re teaching. Make enough copies of these challenges for the entire class.
2. Form Teams:
   • Divide students into small groups, consisting of 3-5 members. Assign each group a number and designate a Team Captain for each.
3. Distribute Materials:
   • Provide each student with a recording sheet to write their answers on during the game. For math classes, it’s recommended to give each student a whiteboard for working out problems. Project the game board using Google Slides – you can grab it here.

Playing the Game

1. Starting Off:
   • Hand out the first challenge to each group. Students work together to solve the questions and write their answers on the recording sheets.
2. Checking Answers:
   • Once a group completes a challenge, the Team Captain brings their answers to the teacher for checking.
   • If they have the right answer for each question, the group chooses a tombstone to move their ghost to. Each tombstone has a different, unknown point value which adds an element of surprise and fun to the game.
   • If any answers are incorrect, the Team Captain returns to their group to correct the mistakes.
3. Continuing the Game:
   • Groups continue to work through the challenges, bringing their answers to be checked and moving their ghosts to different tombstones as they progress.
4. Encouraging Strategy:
   • Encourage students to strategize and work together, reminding them that everyone needs to contribute and show their work, especially in a math class.
5. Keeping Scores Secret:
   • Keep the point values of the tombstones a secret until the end of the game. This ensures that the game is based more on luck and less on speed.

Concluding the Game

• At the end of the class, reveal the point values of the tombstones. The group with the highest score wins the game.

Tips for Success

• Use an answer key hidden in a file folder to prevent students from seeing the answers as you check each challenge.
• Mark each challenge with a checkmark as you verify the answers.
• Provide a variety of challenges to cater to different learning styles and increase the game’s difficulty gradually.
• Consider including a tombstone with negative point value for an added twist.
• Make sure students understand that the game is based on luck and not just speed.

Why “Ghosts in the Graveyard” is a Great Activity for Classrooms

• It’s versatile and can be adapted for any content area and grade level.
• The game engages every student, as they must work together to progress.
• It adds an element of excitement and friendly competition to the learning process.

Playing “Ghosts in the Graveyard” is a fantastic way to make review sessions interactive, fun, and effective. Students learn to collaborate, think critically, and apply their knowledge in a competitive but friendly environment. Grab this bonus kit to make playing the game a breeze!

4. Attack

“Attack!” is another great game that needs to be in your math engagement toolkit!

• Team Building: Encourages collaboration by having students work in groups of 3 or 4.
• Creative and Quick: Sparks creativity with a fun drawing activity, keeping it snappy with a 1-minute time limit.
• Interactive Learning: Students stay involved with individual answer sheets and, for math lessons, whiteboards to show their work.
• Strategic Gameplay: Encourages critical thinking as groups discuss the questions on the task cards before providing their collective answer.
• Fair Play: Keeps the game equitable by selecting groups randomly, possibly using a popsicle stick draw system.
• Resilient Competition: Maintains high spirits as even ‘attacked’ groups stay in the game, fostering a never-give-up attitude.
• Triumphant Finale: Builds suspense and excitement as the last standing drawing wins, making every group’s effort count.

Setting Up the Math Review Game

1. Materials Needed:
   • A whiteboard or chalkboard for keeping score and drawing.
   • Different colored markers or chalk.
   • Review questions prepared in advance, tailored to your current subject matter.
2. Prepare the Classroom:
   • Divide your class into small teams, ideally groups of 3 or 4 students.
   • Assign each team a color or symbol to identify their team on the board.
3. Draw the Targets:
   • Have one student from each team come up to the board and draw a simple image (like a pumpkin, heart, or star, depending on the season or theme).
   • Set a time limit (around 1 minute) for this drawing phase to keep the game moving quickly.

Playing Attack!

1. Start with a Question:
   • Ask a review question to the class. This could be a math problem, a historical fact, a scientific concept, etc.
   • Each team works together to come up with an answer. Consider providing each team with a mini whiteboard to write their answers.
2. Team Selection:
   • Select which team will answer the question. This can be done randomly (e.g., drawing names from a hat, using a random number generator, or pulling popsicle sticks labeled with team names).
3. Answer and Attack:
   • If the selected team answers correctly, they get to ‘attack’ other teams’ drawings on the board. They can put an ‘X’ on two different teams’ images.
   • If they answer incorrectly, their drawing gets ‘attacked’ by the teacher, who puts an ‘X’ on their image.
4. Continuing the Game:
   • Continue the process, asking questions and allowing teams to attack after correct answers.
   • Ensure that each team gets an equal opportunity to answer questions.
5. Elimination and Strategy:
   • Once a team’s drawing has been attacked a certain number of times (usually three), it’s ‘destroyed’ and erased from the board.
   • However, the team is still in the game and can continue to answer questions and attack others.
6. Concluding the Game:
   • The game ends when there’s only one team’s drawing left un-destroyed, or when the class period is about to end.
   • The team with the last drawing standing is declared the winner.

Optional Variations

• Bonus Questions: Occasionally throw in a bonus question for extra points or the chance to revive a partially destroyed drawing.
• Strategic Play: Allow teams to form alliances or strategize on whom to attack.

Attack! is more than just a review game; it’s a way to make learning interactive and competitive in a healthy, fun manner. It encourages teamwork, quick thinking, and reinforces the subject matter in an unforgettable way. Give Attack! a try in your classroom and watch as the excitement for learning grows!

5. Zonk!: The Game of Math Surprises

Zonk! is a high-energy game where students answer math questions for points, but risk losing them when they are ‘Zonked’. The unpredictability adds excitement and keeps students engaged and on their toes.

Setting Up the Game

1. Materials Needed:
   • ZONK Cards: Index Cards or paper cutouts.
   • Magnets: To place on the ZONK cards.
   • Task cards or a slideshow of math review questions.
2. Prepare the ZONK Cards:
   • Assign most of the Zonk cards with a point value (e.g., 10 points, 20 points), but a few should be marked ‘ZONK’. I laminate these for reuse.
   • The ‘ZONK’ items represent a risk element in the game – they mean the player gets zero points and possibly loses them all.
   • Place all the cards on your whiteboard using the magnets. I like using sticky magnet tape.
3. Create Teams:
   • Divide your class into small groups or teams.
   • Each team will take turns answering questions and drawing a ZONK card from the board.

Playing ZONK

1. Start the Round:
   • Pose a math review question to the entire class. Every student should be working on the problem. Set a timer for however long you think students need to answer it. Individual students answer, but when the time is up. Select one group to provide an answer and then have them send one group member up to the board to select a ZONK card.
2. Answer and Earn the Chance to ZONK:
   • The team that answers correctly earns the right to draw from the ZONK cards.
   • If they choose a card with points, add those points to their team’s total on the scoreboard.
   • If they pull a ‘ZONK’, this means their team has been ZONKED! This means, they either don’t earn any points and their turn is over.
   • If they pull a ‘DOUBLE ZONK’, this means their team has been DOUBLE ZONKED! Which means, they lose points.
   • Once a Zonk card is picked, remove it from the board.
3. Continue the Game:
   • Continue asking questions and letting teams draw from the ZONK cards.
   • Ensure each team gets an equal number of turns.
4. Keep Score:
   • Use the whiteboard or chalkboard to keep track of each team’s points.
5. End of the Game:
   • The game ends either when a set number of rounds are completed or when class time is almost over.
   • The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
6. Optional Variations:
   • Introduce ‘Bonus ZONKs’ for extra excitement, where students can earn double points or get a chance to answer an additional question.
   • Include ‘Safety ZONKs’ where a team can protect their points from being lost.

ZONK is a fantastic way to make review sessions interactive and fun. It encourages students to participate actively and creates a dynamic learning environment. With the element of chance added by the ZONK box, every round is filled with suspense and excitement. Give ZONK a try in your next review session and watch your students engage with the material in a whole new way!

Conclusion: Math Review Games

Gone are the days of monotonous math reviews. Shake things up this school year with these games. These seven games transform math class into a dynamic, engaging, and fun environment. Each game brings a unique twist, ensuring there’s something for every student. If you try out any of these classroom math games in your math classrooms, I’d love to hear about it. Check out some reward ideas here.