Enriching Addition and Subtraction Fact Mastery Through Games

This article describes how structured games can enrich addition and subtraction basic fact mastery by guiding students through developmental phases of mathematical fluency. Rather than forcing children from initial counting strategies directly to rote memorization, effective instruction supports their progression through three key developmental phases: modeling or counting, deriving answers using reasoning strategies based on known facts, and eventual automatic mastery. Meaningful practice through games allows students to internalize reasoning strategies, build number sense, and transition naturally from counting to automatic recall.

The authors highlight several games used in McGraw Hill’s Everyday Mathematics to target specific skills. Games like High Roller and Roll and Total encourage students to move from counting all to counting on by keeping one number fixed and counting on with the other. To develop reasoning strategies within the second phase, games such as Tens Go Fish and Double It provide critical practice for combinations of ten and doubles. For example, in an exploratory study with eight struggling first graders, playing Tens Go Fish and using ten-frames over three 30-minute sessions increased recall of combinations of ten from 0 to 50 percent. In another interview assessment with thirty-eight first graders, those who played Double It demonstrated that doubles were their most well-known facts.

For general practice, games like Addition Top-It, Subtraction Top-It, and Salute! help students apply strategies and understand the inverse relationship between operations. Furthermore, teachers can easily differentiate instruction by modifying game rules, incorporating visual tools like ten-frames, or adjusting card decks. Strategic games provide teachers with rich formative assessment data through student observations and discussions, replacing high-stress timed tests while fostering an engaging, collaborative learning environment that supports long-term retention.

Research Citation:

Bay-Williams, J. M., & Kling, G. (2014). Enriching addition and subtraction fact mastery through games. Teaching Children Mathematics, 21(4), 238-247.