Using Games to Learn

Games are powerful tools for learning in the classroom. They provide students with opportunities to practice essential skills in a fun, interactive way that promotes engagement and motivation. Unlike traditional drills, games encourage active participation, collaboration and problem-solving, which help students strengthen their understanding of concepts while enjoying themselves. Games also allow for repetition and practice in a low-pressure environment, making learning feel less like work and more like play.

By incorporating games into lessons, teachers can foster a positive classroom atmosphere, improve student confidence, and develop important social skills such as teamwork, turn-taking, and perseverance.

This creative approach to teaching is key to Astor International School’s goal of providing quality education in a nurturing environment that promotes creativity, curiosity and a love of learning.

Here are three easy games to incorporate into your home or classroom.

Race to 100

Each player begins at zero and takes turns rolling two dice. The player chooses to calculate the sum, difference, product, or quotient of the numbers rolled, and moves their marker accordingly. On future turns, the result is added to the previous total. The goal is to be the first to reach 100 exactly. If a player overshoots 100, they lose their turn. This game builds number fluency and strategic thinking. I ask the students questions like, “Do you want to get the biggest number now? Or are you looking to get a specific number?”

Shut the Box

Another game I play in the classroom is the classic: Shut the Box. Players write the numbers 1 through 9 in a row, then roll dice and calculate the sum. They cross out numbers that equal the sum. If 7, 8, and 9 remain, both dice must be used; otherwise, players may choose one or two. The game continues until no more numbers can be crossed out. Scores are determined by adding the uncrossed numbers, with “shut the box” (crossing out all numbers) resulting in a perfect score of zero. This game enhances mental math and logical reasoning.

Multiplication War

Lastly, Multiplication War, a card game where players flip two cards, multiply them, and the higher product wins. The player with the higher product keeps all the cards. The game ends when a player has won all the cards. This fast-paced activity reinforces multiplication skills while keeping students engaged.

By integrating games like these in our classrooms at Astor International School, teachers can transform learning into an enjoyable and memorable experience. This is another way in which we are executing our vision to be the best affordable international primary school in Singapore.