Math and Play
“What books are to reading, play is to mathematics.” Dan Finkel “Math for Love”
Full disclosure: I’m not the best at playing games with my kids! However, I do enjoy playing with them, and some of my fondest childhood memories revolve around games I played with my parents and older siblings.
So, why is it so challenging to play games? To answer this question, I think it’s important to define “play”.
According to the Oxford Language Dictionary, “play” means:
- To engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than for a serious or practical purpose.
- To take part in something.
When we think about playing games, there are many factors to negotiate: rules (whose rules are we following?), how long we’ll play, what games we’ll choose, and who is the winner. Add a sibling into the mix, and we introduce a special layer of potential friction.
We should also acknowledge the guilt many parents feel about not wanting to play games with their kids. It can be exhausting and tedious at times, and, quite frankly, not always enjoyable.
So why make the effort? As I mentioned, the memories I have of playing games with my family are precious and among my most joyful childhood experiences. Who knows what was going through my parents’ or older siblings’ minds when they said, “Sure, let’s play that game. Again!” with an exaggerated enthusiasm that a child doesn’t notice. Perhaps we’re so goal oriented that playing a game doesn’t fulfill our achievement checklist. Or maybe, if you have multiple children, they always end up fighting during playtime.
The truth is, I do play with my children—but not always with board games, cards, or dice. I embrace a playful spirit in our everyday activities. Here are some examples:
- I cook and bake with my children, embracing the mess. Our time spent together in the kitchen is especially meaningful, as my son is often the cook, and I am now the helper!
- I find games online, and we play them on paper or a whiteboard we keep by the kitchen table. For example, we play All Ten on paper and other games like Tic-Tac-Toe.
- We play card games spontaneously, usually one-on-one, which allows us to connect for 5-10 minutes between other activities such as snack time, homework time, or soccer.
- In the car, we play games like finding license plates from all 50 states and marking them on a map I printed and stored in a clear plastic sleeve.
- I start puzzles on the coffee table, and more often than not, my kids end up working on them when they have a few spare moments.
- When reading books, we make predictions, and I sometimes pose math related questions, like “Do you think the rhinoceros or the elephant weighs more?”; “ Why do you think that?”; or “How many soccer balls would it take to cover an entire soccer field?” We discuss these questions together instead of asking AI for answers because the conversation matters more than the answers.
Finding time for play isn’t easy, but it’s worth it for the shared experiences and lasting memories we create. I’d love to hear what games you play with your children and how you carve out time for play!
For game resources you can check out the following links:
