Educational and fun math games inspired by the season of Halloween.

Competing with the season of Halloween is a losing battle. Students begin to talk about the holiday usually at the end of September. How is a teacher to compete? A teacher competes by joining curriculum with the Halloween holiday.

Spider Legs, Lucky 13, and Halloween night are math games to aid in students mastering basic operations. A student will be more engaged in adding numbers if it is attached to a fun Halloween game. All of the games can be played in pairs, small groups, or as a class. As well, the games can be played with the use of pencil and paper or not. Instead of putting curriculum learning on hold near a holiday, combine the curriculum with the holiday.

Spider Legs

Objective

Students create an 8-legged spider.

Materials

• 3 dice
• 1 head and body of a spider
• 8 legs of a spider

How to Play

Students decide on who begins the game. Students may decide based on whose birthday is closest to Halloween or who was born closest to midnight. Create a few ways to decide who will start the game.

First players rolls 3 dice and must create a number sentence that equals 8. The player is able to use multiplication, addition, subtraction, and/or division to create the number sentence.

However, the player is only allowed to use the number once in the number sentence.

Example:

Dice: 3 4 6

Number sentence: 6x4=24/3=8

If the player is able to create a number sentence they are able to add a leg to their spider. If the player is unable to create a number sentence they lose their turn.

The opposing player may add a leg to their spider if they are able to create a number sentence equaling 8 for their opponent.

Winner

The first player to finish their give their spider eight legs wins the game.

Options for the Spider

1. Students draw a spider head and body on a piece of paper. Players add the legs by drawing them one by one onto the spider body.

2. Students draw a spider head and body on construction paper. Students cut out the head and body and write their name on the back of the paper. Next students will draw and cut out 8 spider legs. Students will add the legs to the spider with tape.

Challenger

Students use more than 3 dice to create a number sentence that equals 8.

Bulletin Board Idea

Students place their winning spider on the board game. Students will write their name on one of the legs of the spider.

Lucky 13

Objective

Have the highest score after 13 rounds.

Materials

• 2 dice
• Pencil and place value chart

How to play

Students determine who begins the game.

Student rolls the dice. Student creates the biggest number from the two dice rolled.

Student will place their number on the place value chart. A game played with two dice will have ones and tens only in the place value chart.

Each player will record their numbers for 13 turns. After 13 turns, each player will add their numbers together.

Winner

The player with the highest number wins the game.

Challenger

Students use more dice to represent more place values.

Students must score the lowest number to win the game.

Halloween Night

Objective

Closest number to 31

Materials

• Dice
• Pencil and paper

How to play

Each player is given 3 dice. Each player rolls their dice and must create a number sentence closest to 31 without going over.

Players are only allowed to use each die once but can use them in any order. Players are able to calculate 31 with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

The player closest to 31 wins the round.

Scoring

The player closest to 31 subtracts their number from the next highest number and records the number.

Winning

First player to score 31 points or more.

Challenger

Player must score 100 points.

Player uses more than 3 dice to create a number sentence for 31.