Math games can be a powerful tool for enhancing math education. They provide an interactive and engaging way for students to master key math skills. Greg Tang, a renowned math educator, author, and NY Times bestselling children’s book writer, has developed some of the most effective and entertaining math games on the market.
His games focus on building number sense, fact fluency, and conceptual understanding in an enjoyable format that appeals to learners.
In this guide, we will explore the unique benefits of Tang’s games, highlight the top recommended titles, and provide tips for integrating them into your curriculum or home learning routine. When math is fun, students are motivated to learn!
Why Choose Greg Tang Math Games?
Greg Tang’s games have been used successfully in over 31,000 classrooms nationwide. His experiential approach combines Tutor Hunt newest learning possibilities with light-hearted humor and creativity. Some key advantages of Tang Math games include:
- Proven Classroom Results: Tang’s games consistently improve student performance and engagement in math. Field studies demonstrate increased math fact fluency, reduced anxiety, and higher test scores after implementing his games.
- Highly Engaging: Students love the cartoon illustrations, rhyming stories, and game-based learning. This promotes focus, perseverance, and enjoyment of math.
- Comprehensive Skill Building: Games target core concepts like place value, operations, algebraic thinking, measurement, geometry, and more. Skills are scaffolded and integrated across the curriculum.
With entertaining characters, motivating challenges, and a focus on understanding number relationships, it’s no wonder Tang’s games are a hit in classrooms! The combination of enjoyment and real math learning makes these games winners.
Key Features of Greg Tang Math Games
While each Tang Math game has unique elements, some core features characterize this exceptional collection of learning tools.
- Number Bonds: Activities emphasize number bonds and fact families, building flexible thinking.
- Multiple Representations: Numbers are modeled in engaging ways, including ten frames, number lines, pictures, and equations.
- Operations: Games provide practice with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in contextualized, real-world scenarios.
- Place Value: Tang’s activities continually reinforce place value understanding, the cornerstone of mathematical fluency.
With a research-backed methodology that embeds practice within captivating narratives and challenges, students gain skills while fixated on fun!
Top Greg Tang Math Games
With a library of over 50 entertaining math games, Greg Tang has something for every age level and math topic. Here are some of his most popular titles that are teacher-approved and kid-tested!
1. Kakooma
Kakooma helps students gain fluency with basic math facts through adaptive questioning and clever visual representations. As a coconut-chopping monkey, players solve addition and subtraction problems to earn fruit.
- Fact Fluency Focus: Emphasizes speed and accuracy with basic facts through repetition.
- Adaptive Difficulty: Tailors questions based on individual student response patterns.
- Visual Models: Uses coconuts, trees, and fruit to engage learners.
Best for grades 2-6 and fundamental fact practice. Kakooma is part of Tang’s Math Mavericks series.
2. NumTanga
NumTanga challenges students to match math expressions to visual models representing the quantities. This builds flexibility with math symbols and representations.
- Multiple Representations: Links number sentences to ten frames, number lines, and sets.
- Concept Development: Reinforces place value, operations, algebraic thinking, and more.
- Adaptive: Difficulty adjusts based on performance to stay in “flow state.”
Ideal for grades 1-6 but can supplement PreK-8 curriculum. Promotes numerical fluency.
3. Ten Frame Mania
As the name suggests, Ten Frame Mania has students modeling numbers using ten frames. This familiarizes learners with this powerful place value tool.
- Counting and Cardinality Focus: Ten frames build number recognition and counting skills.
- Grouping: Reinforces making a ten and subitizing.
- Classroom and Home Use: Simple format promotes individual, small group, or whole class engagement.
Perfect for PreK-2. Provides interactive ten frame practice.
4. Math Limbo
In Math Limbo, students strategically decompose numbers to limbo under the bar set at a target number. This models flexibility with numbers.
- Number Bonds: Use of part-part-whole thinking to reach the target.
- Operations: Allows addition, subtraction, multiplication to decompose numbers.
- Problem-Solving: Promotes mathematical thinking beyond just calculating.
Recommended for grades 2-5. Teaches number flexibility and mental math strategies.
5. Coin Bubble
Coin Bubble has students popping bubbles by identifying coin values. This teaches coin recognition and counting money.
- Money Concepts: Models pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters in engaging graphics.
- Arithmetic Practice: Adds up coin values to pop bubbles and progress.
- Game Mechanics: Fun bubbles appeal to young learners.
Perfect for K-3 students learning money skills or reinforcing arithmetic.
6. Breakapart
In Breakapart, learners decompose numbers into smaller units to target the pieces that make up whole quantities. Models part-whole relationships.
- Fraction Understanding: Breaking numbers apart into component fractions.
- Visual Models: Colorful graphics for fractions of shapes.
- Real-World Connections: Models fractional quantities in baking, gardening and more.
Ideal for grades 3-5 for introducing and practicing fractions in context.
7. Satisfraction
Using fraction pieces, Satisfraction challenges students to fill up various shapes. Teaches fraction equivalents.
- Fraction Strategies: Use fraction pieces creatively to cover space.
- Equivalent Fractions: Match different pieces with the same value.
- Standards Integration: Aligned to learning expectations for upper elementary.
Recommended for grades 3-6 to motivate mastery of fraction concepts.
Success Stories and Testimonials
These research-backed games have delivered outstanding results in real classrooms. Here are just a few examples:
- Julie F., 2nd grade teacher: “Since using Greg Tang Math games in my classroom, my students have shown greater enthusiasm towards math, improved fact fluency, and increased standardized test scores. They beg to play!”
- Maria D., parent: “My daughter used to dislike math but now looks forward to doing Greg Tang Math games each night. She has grown more confident with numbers and is performing better in school.”
- Lucas T., 3rd grade student: “Greg Tang Math games are so much fun I don’t even realize I’m learning. But my teacher says my math skills have really improved since we started playing them.”
The common thread is improved academic outcomes and attitudes thanks to Tang’s magical blend of math skill-building and playful joy. These games make mastering math truly enjoyable.
How to Integrate Greg Tang Math Games into Your Curriculum
Greg Tang Math games align well to key math standards and curriculum objectives. Here are some tips for integrating them into instruction:
For Teachers:
- Use games to reinforce skills or as a reward activity.
- Project games for whole class lessons.
- Create small groups that rotate through games.
- Match titles to target student needs and grade-level goals.
For Parents:
- Establish a weekly game routine (ex. Math Game Monday).
- Play games together and ask probing questions.
- Let games inspire additional math activities.
- Communicate with teachers on which games supplement their curriculum.
The right balance of games and traditional teaching ensures exposure to new concepts while providing engaging practice and repetition for retention. Take advantage of this resource!
Conclusion
Greg Tang’s research-based and classroom-tested math games provide a fun way for students to build critical math skills. His engaging games cover a comprehensive range of concepts while motivating learners through playful narratives, characters, and challenges.
Tang’s focus on developing number sense, fact fluency, and flexible thinking lays a strong foundation for math proficiency.
With proven results in over 31,000 classrooms, these games are a smart investment for educators and parents seeking to boost engagement and outcomes in math.
Integrating Greg Tang’s library into lessons and home learning provides interactive skill practice while showing kids that math can be entertaining. Meeting students where they are at with these adaptive games helps instill persistence, confidence, and a drive for math excellence.
So if you’re looking to add some joy and motivation into your math instruction or supplement curriculum with research-backed games, be sure to explore Greg Tang’s fantastic collection. With the right blend of instruction and targeted practice through play, we can cultivate the next generation of math stars!
Jumpstart your students’ math success by bringing Greg Tang’s magical games into your classroom or home routine.
Visit gregtangmath.com to learn more and access free trials of many games. See firsthand how engagement and understanding can soar when math is an adventure! Educators and parents are also encouraged to share their experiences with these tools. Let’s work together to shape the future of math education, one game at a time.
FAQs
What age groups are Greg Tang Math Games suitable for?
The games target students in grades K-8. Certain titles are designed for specific grade ranges. Games for younger learners focus more on counting and place value, while upper elementary/middle school games integrate more advanced concepts.
How can I access these games?
Greg Tang Math games are available on a robust online platform accessible via computer or mobile app. Some titles are also available as physical card/board games. Free trials let you preview many games.
Are there any costs associated with Greg Tang Math Games?
The online platform and mobile app require a subscription for full access to the entire library. However, limited free trials are available. Purchasing physical games or books also allows you to preview certain titles.
Can these games be used for remote learning?
Yes, the online platform and mobile app enable students to engage with Greg Tang Math games remotely. Teachers can assign games and monitor progress.
What kind of support is available for teachers and parents?
Implementation guides, curriculum integrations, and other resources are provided to help teachers and parents use the games most effectively. The Greg Tang team also offers excellent customer support.
