Division and Multiplication Games for 3rd Grade Students

How to Use Multiplication and Division Games

Playing games can help increase your child's interest in math while providing him or her with the necessary practice. It can also be an opportunity to spend quality time together. While playing math games with your child, it may be beneficial to verbalize your thinking process. This way, he or she can follow your lead.

Remember, math games don't have to be overly complicated or require a lot of time. Short spurts of daily practice can help your child become familiar with multiplication and division without losing interest. The games below can be played with simple, everyday items, and they require no more than 15 minutes.

Multiplication and Division Games

At the Supermarket

Because math is used frequently in everyday life, a simple trip to the grocery store can be transformed into a fun, active way for your child to practice his or her multiplication and division skills. For example, pick out a package of cookies, and have your child determine how many cookies each family member would get if you bought it. If there are 20 cookies in the pack and four people in your family, your child should solve for 20 divided by four to determine that each family member would get five cookies. Alternatively, you could ask your child to figure out how many cookies you should buy so that each family member gets five cookies. This would require the multiplication problem 4 x 5 = 20.

In the Cards

This game requires a flat surface and a deck of cards with the jokers removed. Sit facing your child and begin play by drawing two cards from the deck. Multiply the numbers on the cards (aces count as one, and face cards count as ten). If your answer is right, you keep the cards; if not, you must return them to the deck. Then, it's your child's turn. Whoever has the most cards by the end of the deck wins. This game also can be used for division practice.

Roll the Dice

For this game, you'll need pennies and dice. The pennies will be used to keep track of points. Players take turns rolling the dice and must multiply or divide the two numbers that are rolled. The player receives one point if the numbers are multiplied and two points if they are divided. If the player answers incorrectly, another player can steal the point by giving the right answer. The competition may keep your child interested and will encourage him or her to practice his or her skills even when it's not his or her turn.