Filter by: Content type: ALL Problems Articles Games Stage: All Stage 1&2 Stage 2&3 Stage 3&4 Stage 4&5 Challenge level:
Can you identify the mathematicians?
A game for 2 players. Can be played online. One player has 1 red counter, the other has 4 blue. The red counter needs to reach the other side, and the blue needs to trap the red.
This article for teachers describes several games, found on the site, all of which have a related structure that can be used to develop the skills of strategic planning.
The computer starts with all the lights off, but then clicks 3, 4 or 5 times at random, leaving some lights on. Can you switch them off again?
A game for 1 person. Can you work out how the dice must be rolled from the start position to the finish? Play on line.
A game for 2 people. Take turns joining two dots, until your opponent is unable to move.
The aim of the game is to slide the green square from the top right hand corner to the bottom left hand corner in the least number of moves.
Advent Calendar 2010 - a mathematical game for every day during the run-up to Christmas.
A game for 2 players. Take turns to place a counter so that it occupies one of the lowest possible positions in the grid. The first player to complete a line of 4 wins.
A game for 2 players. Draw a daisy with at least 5 petals. Shade 1 or 2 petals next to each other. The winner shades the last petal.
Solve this Sudoku puzzle whose clues are in the form of sums of the numbers which should appear in diagonal opposite cells.
A Sudoku with clues given as sums of entries.
In this game you throw two dice and find their total, then move the appropriate counter to the right. Which counter reaches the purple box first? Is this what you would expect?
Reasoning based on this Japanese activity.
A complicated game played on a 9 x 9 checkered grid.
Can you beat Piggy in this simple dice game? Can you figure out Piggy's strategy, and is there a better one?
A game for 2 players. Given a board of dots in a grid pattern, players take turns drawing a line by connecting 2 adjacent dots. Your goal is to complete more squares than your opponent.
A fun game for two. You'll need some counters.
Everthing you have always wanted to do with dominoes! Some of these games are good for practising your mental calculation skills, and some are good for your reasoning skills.
An article for teachers and pupils that encourages you to look at the mathematical properties of similar games.
This article invites you to get familiar with a strategic game called "sprouts". The game is simple enough for younger children to understand, and has also provided experienced mathematicians with. . . .
This is a game for 2 players. Each player has 4 counters each, and wins by blocking their opponent's counters. A good follow-on from two stones.
An extension of noughts and crosses in which the grid is enlarged and the length of the winning line can to altered to 3, 4 or 5.
Here are a collection of games from around the world to try during the holidays or the last few weeks of term.
Can you work out how to win this game of Nim? Does it matter if you go first or second?
The game uses a 3x3 square board. 2 players take turns to play, either placing a red on an empty square, or changing a red to orange, or orange to green. The player who forms 3 of 1 colour in a line. . . .
A game for 1 or 2 people. Use the interactive version, or play with friends. Try to round up as many counters as possible.
An ordinary set of dominoes can be laid out as a 7 by 4 magic rectangle in which all the spots in all the columns add to 24, while those in the rows add to 42. Try it! Now try the magic square...
A game for 2 players. This could be played outside with people instead of counters. Try to trap or escape from your opponent.
A game for 1 person to develop stategy and shape and space awareness. 12 counters are placed on a board. Counters are removed one at a time. The aim is to be left with only 1 counter.
A collection of games on the NIM theme
Players take it in turns to choose a dot on the grid. The winner is the first to have four dots that can be joined to form a square.
A game somewhat similar to 'noughts and crosses' on a much larger space.
A fun puzzle with tantrix tiles.
A game to make and play based on the number line.
A game for two players on a large squared space.
Basic strategy games are particularly suitable as starting points for investigations. Players instinctively try to discover a winning strategy, and usually the best way to do this is to analyse. . . .
Interactive game. Set your own level of challenge, practise your table skills and beat your previous best score.
This article supplies teachers with information that may be useful in better understanding the nature of games and their role in teaching and learning mathematics.
A game for two people, or play online. Given a target number, say 23, and a range of numbers to choose from, say 1-4, players take it in turns to add to the running total to hit their target.
This article, the second in the series, looks at some different types of games and the sort of mathematical thinking they can develop.
A shunting puzzle for 1 person. Swop the positions of the counters at the top and bottom of the board.
Help the bee to build a stack of blocks far enough to save his friend trapped in the tower.
How good are you at estimating angles?
Unmultiply is a game of quick estimation. You need to find two numbers that multiply together to something close to the given target - fast! 10 levels with a high scores table.
A game for two players. You'll need some counters.
A game for two players. You'll need some counters and somewhere to draw a board.
A game for 2 players. Using 2 dice, some counters and a games board, can you form a line of counters from one side of the board to the other?
A game played with a standard pack of cards.