ThinkFun Math Dice Junior Game - Engaging Math Skills Builder | Perfect for Kids Aged 6+ | Aids in Mental Agility | Toy of The Year Nominee

My 6.5 year old loves this game and has for about 6 months. It is easy to play, doesn't take any special equipment beyond what it comes with, and is fun. The goal is to use addition and subtraction to sum up the numbers on 5 colored dice to get to a target number, and you get to move your game piece one space for every die you successfully use in a round, so it's advantageous to use as many as possible. The trick is that you have to do the math in your head quickly and then yell "math dice" first--only that person gets to show the combo they came up with. The first player to move their game piece around the given board wins. (The board is very tiny--we usually end up going around 2-3 times per game.) When we play with our son, though, my husband and I have to basically hold back to give my son a chance, because obviously a grownup can add a lot faster than a 6 year old. Still, we are able to jump in just enough to push him and get him thinking faster and in a more complex way, which is the best part of this game. For instance, in the months we've had this, he's figured out how to do more complex strings using both addition and subtraction to maximize the number of dice used (e.g., 3+4+2-1=8 to use 4 dice instead of 3+4+1=8 to only use 3 dice). You don't have to do things that complicated (you could start out with only addition, for instance), but that's part of the strategy and what makes it a game more than just math drills. I think what ages this is for really depends on the child. My son is pretty fast at adding and subtracting, and he can do much of it in his head. I know he's played with other 6 year old friends and they struggled quite a bit. So you kind of have to know your kid. Can your kid add and subtract numbers totaling up to 12? Can they add/subtract more than one number in a row (e.g., 2+2+3)? And can they do it in their head? They don't necessarily have to do those thing super well yet, but they do need to be able to do them a little. Also think about who the child will play with--it's best if they can play with kids at a similar math skill level so one person doesn't dominate.I do like that Math Dice Jr encourages my son to think about math, but apart from that it's just a fun, simple game that doesn't take too long to play. It's a winner for us!

Great little game for children to learn math skills! Easy to play and makes learning fun!

I was so surprised when this came and the dice were the size of ping pong balls! It certainly added to the kid appeal. My 2 year old loves rolling and stacking them just as much as my five and seven year old like to challenge one another. They were quickly able to pick up on the game rules and it is very easy to modify and make up games for single players or to adapt to your child's learning level. It is small and portable, great for slipping in the diaper bag to play while you are waiting at casual resturants, etc. Overall, a great and affordable addition to the asenal of fun learning development toys.

The kids love this game!

This game is just great. We love the big chunky fun dice pieces~ they look better than the pictures, I think! And I love the way that it does not just tell kids what to add or subtract, but allows them to look at the dice and figure out how to come up with the number they need by combining what they have rolled. This gives them the opportunity to "play" at manipulating numbers in their minds. My girls~ ages 4,7,8 and 9, pick this game to play. My only complaint is that the "game board" is too small and flimsy~ I understand they were trying to contain it in an easy-travel, compact little bag, and that is great, and practical for certain occasions. But for home use I have made my own board (on the inside of the lid of the box we keep it in.). This is much better and keeps the player pieces from getting mixed up/knocked off the square they have moved too~which is a great frustration in the midst of a truly great game! We have also added in a dice or two with numeric numbers on it instead of the dots~ just to keep minds using/associating numbers in all their various forms~ though the game is fine in itself~ these could be added to up the challenge once children have played for a while. The game is great in concept and play, and certainly deserves five stars!

Such a great game to work on addition and subtraction skills. Love that when they get better you can make the game harder. Great to bring to a restaurant.

High quality dice that are a fun and vibrant color. The little mat is simple and rolls out, and all fits in a good quality draw string bag.My 7 year old daughter actually chooses a die from this game almost categorically when she needs to replace a missing die in another board game. Unfortunately, the game itself doesn't interest her, and hasn't ever since we bought it more than a year ago when she was 6 years old. She has played it a couple of times at my urging and is able to figure out and execute the concept reasonably well (she sometimes has to add with her fingers), but unlike other educational games that are perhaps a bit more disguised as entertainment, she will never pick this one off the shelf on her own.That said, if you want some great dice that fit well in a small child's hand, this purchase may be worth it for that alone and you can try to squeeze some educational use out of it too!

We use this game as a reward in our tutoring sessions for 2nd and 3rd graders, as an introduction to number sense for any age, as scaffolding with older kids before we play more complicated versions of this idea (Math Dice Sr, 24, Prime Climb, etc) and as remedial practice for our older kids. It's easy to learn. I like that it works well in small group play (kids in pairs on a team for example), it's helpful for modeling strategies and number sense (especially if the teacher plays against the students to model how answers are found), and that it can be adapted for noncompetitive play.