[Get Friendly with Games] Math Games, Apps, and Activities

Halli Galli

I'll introduce the fast-paced game 'Halli Galli'.

I think elementary school kids who’ve learned addition will have a blast playing the quick-reflex game “Halli Galli”! It’s a game that trains mental calculation and reaction speed: each card shows 1 to 5 pieces of fruit, players deal out the cards evenly, and take turns flipping them over.

If the total number of the fruit on top adds up to 5, whoever rings the bell on the table first wins that round and takes all the face-up cards.

In the end, if you run out of cards, you lose! Let’s build the reflexes to hit the bell the instant the total reaches 5.

Kuku: Multiplication-Table Trump Cards That Make You Smarter

[Kukuppu] Rules of the Nine-Nine Linking (Kuku-tsunagi)

There’s a must-try game for elementary school kids learning their times tables! “Kukuppu” is a card game where players take turns playing cards, and the first person to play all their cards wins.

When you play a card, you say the multiplication shown on it, so it really helps you memorize the times tables.

Plus, like UNO, some cards have special effects—reversing the turn order, making the next player draw two cards, and more—so you need strategy to win.

It’s a game that both adults and kids can enjoy together!

Doraemon: Parent and Child Number Play

Doraemon Parent-Child Number Play gameplay footage

For kids who are naturally familiar with digital devices, learning math through apps can be very effective! The Doraemon app “Oyako de Sūji Asobi” lets children learn addition, subtraction, and multiplication with Doraemon characters in a game format.

When you clear stages, you receive cards, so you can collect cards of various characters.

There’s also a mode where Doraemon presents math problems, so kids can keep learning without getting bored.

It’s great for studying on the go or independently!

Guess the weight game

Non-crowded Senior Recreation: Weight-Comparison Game Using a Scale

If you want to get familiar with numbers and the weight of objects, try this game! The “Guess the Weight Game” is a play activity where you look for items that are as close as possible to a reference weight.

The only thing you can rely on is your own sense—remember the feeling of holding exactly 100 grams, then pick up various objects to check and bring the one you think is right.

It’s simple, but incredibly fun.

To tie it to math, how about a rule like “add up the weights of the items you brought to get closer to the target value”? I think it’s a game that can really shine depending on your ideas.

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Area Capture Game

The math team tried playing a stone-taking game! [An editorial production company skilled in creating teaching materials and tests]

How about learning math with a drawing-like feel? It’s a territory-grabbing “Area Capture Game” that uses shapes to compete for grid squares.

It’s a two-player game: prepare a sheet of paper with a grid, then take turns drawing predetermined shapes on it.

The game ends when your shapes and your opponent’s shapes connect to divide the board into two territories.

The player with more white squares in their own territory wins.

The rules might be somewhat similar to Go.

Guessing which shape your opponent will play next and how you’ll counter it makes the battle really engaging.

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Newspaper-Length Game

Smile Home Toyosaka’s Recreation: “Newspaper Foot-Pedaling Game”

It’s important to develop a feel for “about this much,” isn’t it? Even if you can’t measure precisely, having a sense of approximate quantities is handy when the moment calls for it.

The “Yamakan Length Game” is a game where you guess approximate lengths.

Cut a newspaper into strips, then cut a strip to match the target length; the person whose strip is closest to the target wins.

The trick is to remember the reference length from the first round and make good use of it in the second round.

That way, even if you miss the first time, you can get pretty close on the second try!

mosquito

A Pen-and-Paper Calculation Game: Mosquito

Let me introduce “Mosquito,” a game where you take on roles and battle while doing calculations.

How about splitting into Spiders and Mosquitoes and trying a game that uses simple arithmetic? Even if you’re not confident with math, it’s easy to jump in because it feels like a game.

All you need is paper and a pen.

The calculations use multiplication, so anyone with basic multiplication knowledge can play—that’s part of the appeal.

By playing while thinking about tactics and strategy, you can develop planning skills, flexibility, and problem-solving ability.