Need some fun but easy ideas for centers or stations where students can practice multiplication? Here are a few ideas:
1- Domino War
Played in pairs or small groups – Turn the dominoes upside down. Everyone draws one and flips it over. Multiply the two numbers and get your product. Whoever has the highest product wins. They can collect all the dominoes from that turn. Whoever has the most dominoes at the end of the game or when time runs out wins. Even better, you can have each student take a pencil and sheet of paper to the station with them and they must write down the equations for each domino set they turn over during the game and turn those into you at the end of station/center time.
This is especially good for practice early on in multiplication instruction because the dominoes only go to 6.
2- Bouncing Multiples
Bouncy ball needed for this version of multiplication facts practice- either play as an individual or take turns with another student so they can monitor each other’s accuracy while they bounce. This game reinforces skip counting – which is a precursor to multiplication and using multiples in a lot of math areas.
For this activity students bounce the ball and say the multiples of a number with each bounce. If they don’t catch it or it goes out of the center area they lose their turn. Start with a turn at 1, then 2, and so on. If they don’t complete it correctly (to 10 or 12, whichever you prefer) they have to do that one again during their next turn. For example, bouncing two’s 2,4,6,8,10 – turn the ball over to the next person. When it comes back to them, they are doing 3’s. 3,6,9, 10- oops! Turn it over to the next person and try threes again on the next turn.
3- Grid Paper Battle is a Multiplication Practice Game That is Easy to Differentiate!
Two players – We’ve all seen this one on Pinterest! You need two dice (you can use dice with more sides to make this harder!) and a sheet of grid paper for each pair. Each student needs their own color marker.
To play, student 1 rolls the dice, multiplies the two numbers, and makes an array in their color on the grid paper. They write their equation inside the rectangle. Then player 2 goes, etc… When the grid paper cannot fit anymore arrays, the game is over. The students add up their color squares and the player with the most squares in their color wins.
This one works so well when you need differentiation! Just use different dice.
4- Multiplication War is a Great Multiplication Practice Game!
An oldie but goodie! A simple deck of cards makes multiplication practice fun and takes no prep on your part. You can use playing cards or number cards. If using playing cards, take out the face cards and let students know aces=1. – 2 players – Each player takes half the stack of cards face down. Both players turn over the top card at the same time. Whoever calls the product of the two turned over cards first wins and takes the cards. If it’s a tie, they do the next pair and winner takes the cards from both rounds. It’s good to match pairs of students who are equal in multiplication ability for this one so students who struggle still have a chance to win and stay engaged.
5- Fortune Tellers for Multiplication Facts Practice
Kids love to create these! Have students fold and make a fortune teller that includes the facts that are hardest for them to remember. Students can use the fortune tellers to practice with each other. The great thing about these is that they are individualized with a student’s own target problem facts. Even when they are playing with another student, the repetition and love of already knowing ‘what’s under the flap’ will help them become more proficient with that fact.
You can find more multiplication resources in my store! (Including my featured freebie!)
You also might be interested in 5 Fraction Games to Play With a Deck of Cards!
Or a whole pack of multiplication practice activities from my store.
What easy, low prep, games and activities would you add to this list?
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