Number sense and math games for kids
Strong evidence
Feel how big numbers are and where they go.
Number sense is the feeling for how big numbers are and where they go — knowing that 48 is close to 50, guessing how many sweets are in a jar, or counting on from 7 when you roll a 3.
In Dot Dash your child picks the bigger group of dots without counting, in Number Line they place numbers on a line, and in Number Race they race along a straight numbered track, tapping and saying each number as they move.
Games in this skill area
What the research says
Ramani and Siegler (2008) found that young children who played a simple, straight number board game for about an hour, saying each number as they moved, improved on several number skills — estimating on a number line, comparing numbers, counting and reading numbers — and the gains lasted weeks later.
Siegler and Ramani (2009) showed that the straight, linear board mattered: the same game on a circular board did not help in the same way. Number Race is built on these findings, which is why this skill area carries the “Strong evidence” label.
Sources:
Try it at home, off-screen
- Play a board game and say each number out loud as you move.
- Guess how many grapes are in the bowl, then count them.
- Estimate how many steps it is to the door, then check.
Frequently asked questions
What is number sense?
An intuitive understanding of quantities and how numbers relate to each other — how big they are and where they sit on a line.
Do board games really help with numbers?
Yes, for young children. Studies by Ramani and Siegler found that straight number board games improved several number skills, and the gains lasted.
Which Brain Garden games practise number sense?
Dot Dash (estimating quantities), Number Line (placing numbers on a line) and Number Race (a linear number board game).