Math Dice Games for Class: Adding to Multiplying

Roll and Cover: draw the numbers 2 to 12 on a strip of paper. Roll two dice, add them, and cover that number with a counter. The first to cover the whole strip wins.

More or Less: two players each roll, and the higher number scores a point. Younger children can count the pips, and older ones can write it with a greater-than sign.

Biggest Number: draw three boxes for hundreds, tens and ones. Roll a die three times, and write each number in a box as you go, with no moving it later. The biggest number wins, and it soon shows why the first roll matters.

Roll Two and Multiply: roll two dice and multiply them, and the first player to reach 100 points wins. Use 12-sided or 20-sided dice to make it harder, and add a spin of the multiplication wheel to practice one table at a time.

Fraction Roll: roll two dice and make a fraction, then compare it with a partner’s. Tally Up: roll a die 30 times, tally each number, and talk about why the bars don’t come out even. Then add the coin flip for a simple chance lesson.

Dice on desks get noisy and roll onto the floor. Put our dice roller on the projector, and everyone works from the same roll. It shows every die and the total, so students can check their own adding.

For a warm-up, roll once at the start of the lesson and ask for every sum, product and difference the class can find.