Fun Math Games for Grade 5
reviewed by Jo-ann Caballes
Updated on September 25, 2024
5th grade is when schoolers first explore algebra and expand on their work with the four operations — but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Indeed, covering a huge data bulk can become a challenge.
One of the possible solutions to revive those tiresome lessons is to include math games in fifth grade. In this guide, we explore some extra benefits of math games and which of them you would want to use for your kid.
How to use these 5th-grade math games
To use these 5-th grade math games, you should:
- Attentively go through the rules
- Identify if all of them fit the preferences of your kid
- Prepare the necessary resources (printed exercises, worksheets, cards, etc.)
- Start playing!
Note that in this guide, we’ve collected some of the best math exercises to help kids learn new concepts and revive past knowledge. But their rules aren’t something stable: you can alter them to your child’s learning style, progress, and preferences.
We strongly believe that gamification can work wonders for kids of all grades and levels. However, when the matter concerns transitionary periods, it can work wonders.
These days, multiple online platforms acknowledge the role of gamification and work hard to adopt it in their learning programs. One such example is Brighterly. This learning platform provides tailored studying plans catered to the needs and preferences of the specific kid — all while employing a note of game and fun. After all, that’s how studying becomes more enjoyable and effective.
Do you believe in the power of math games just like Brighterly does? Then, don’t hesitate to book your first demo lesson and see how they work in practice.
Best math games for 5th graders
Some of the fun math games for 5th graders include:
- Number Conundrum
- Back 2 Back
- Math Puzzles
- Tangrams
- Bingo
- Passing The Ball
- Volume Of Solids
- Play Fraction War With Dominoes
- Jumpy
Number Conundrum
You can use this game to challenge the child to work with decimal numbers and employ problem-solving skills. For it, the kid has to deal with a number grid. They aim to fill the grid with appropriate numbers, where each number is the sum of two digits below it.
Back 2 Back
For this game, kids must work in pairs, each positioned back-to-back one to another. Every participant receives a whiteboard or a piece of paper where they will work on a math problem.
When everyone’s ready, you should provide a general task that students should try to solve independently. Once everyone’s done, children have to turn and show their solutions to one another. Then, they continue working in pairs to explain how they’ve received their result.
Math Puzzles
Math puzzles take a notable place among other math games for kids in grade 5. For this game, you can provide your child with any available puzzle or ask them to create their own. In the latter case, they will also promote creativity and a deeper understanding of the subject.
One great type of math puzzle is math crossword. Crossword tasks come in different types and shapes, with hundreds of variations online. So, it won’t be difficult to find the one for your kid.
Tangrams
Tangrams are an offline solution for schoolers to learn about geometry relationships in grade 5. These games consist of seven (or more) tiles that can be rearranged into countless shapes for problem-solving and geometric reasoning.
Students can construct different images and solve various problems by messing around with the Tangram pieces. This play will enhance their comprehension of geometric topics such as symmetry and unity. Besides, Tangrams build creativity and cater to different learning styles.
Bingo
Bingo is one of the simplest math games for 5th graders that you can use to improve division, addition, subtraction, and multiplication skills. Children playing Bingo can enjoy the game rewards by winning Bingo Bugs as an additional bonus.
Here’s how it goes: give your child a bingo card loaded with math acquisitions. When you call out a word, they should scramble to find the square on their card and mark it.
Passing The Ball
This one is among the most active and fun math games for 5th graders. But mind that you’ll need to invite some of your kid’s friends for the challenge.
Take children outside and instruct them to form a circle. Then, they should pass a ball to one another till you say, “Stop.” Alternatively, you can play some melody and ask kids to continue throwing until it stops. The child with the ball must answer a math question.
For instance, ask a student what 1055+754 is, what geometric shapes of items are, the number of sides of a square, and more. Students who fail to answer a question correctly or within a stipulated time will be disqualified from the game.
Volume Of Solids
For the play, you’ll have to prepare images of diverse shapes formed from cubes. The task here is to define how many cubes each shape has. For example, the task here may sound like, “Show all the solids, which consist of six cubes.”
Play Fraction War With Dominoes
Because of its simplicity, this one stands out among other fifth-grade math games. Yet, it’s the common favorite for strengthening the knowledge of fractions. This play involves two participants, so you can compete against your child or invite their friend to your place. Players must flip a domino, turn it to display the most significant number at the top and form an improper fraction.
Then, the players will create a mixed number and reduce it if possible. The competing player who remains with the more significant number keeps both dominoes.
Jumpy
Jumpy is the best choice for developing multiplication and division skills. Kids can play for their favorite animal here — their task is to jump over an imaginative lake. They are given a math equation, and when they get a correct answer, they can make a “jump,” but if they fail, they have to move one jump back. Use 5th-grade math activities like this one for individual players or groups of kids.
Multiplication math games for grade 5
Some of the best multiplication for 5th graders games include:
- Times Table War
- Multiplication Relay Race
- Array Building Challenge
- Multiplication Jeopardy
- Math Scavenger Hunt
- Multiplication Puzzles
- Multiplication Match-Up
- Multiplication Story Problems
- Multiplication Flashcard Challenge
- Multiplication Escape Room
Times Table War
Use a deck of cards where each number represents its face value (Ace = 1, Jack = 11, Queen = 12). You and the kid get two cards, which you must multiply. The player with the higher product wins the round and keeps the cards. Succeeded to gather all the cards? Congrats, that’s the winner sign.
Multiplication Relay Race
You’ll need a bunch of participants for this one. Divide all players into groups and set up stations with multiplication problems. One student from each team runs to solve a problem and then races back to tag the next teammate. The team that finishes first wins!
Array Building Challenge
Provide students with counters or blocks to create arrays for given multiplication problems. For example, for 2 x 5, they would create two rows of 5.
Multiplication Jeopardy
This Jeopardy-style game will contain various categories with multiplication facts (e.g., “Single Digits,” “Two-Digit Numbers”). Then, ask the child to select the category they prefer and answer multiplication questions for points. Allow them to skip one, two, or three categories. The game is finished once they answer all the questions.
Math Scavenger Hunt
Hide multiplication problems around the room. Your kid must find them, solve the problems, and write down the answers. Once they complete the hunt with all correct answers, they win a prize. This one is also among other great 5th-grade math games for the classroom.
Multiplication Puzzles
Create puzzles with a math multiplication problem on one side and the answer on the other. The kid must solve the problems to find the matching pieces.
Multiplication Match-Up
Prepare cards with multiplication problems and their corresponding answers. The kid works to match the problems with their correct answers.
Multiplication Story Problems
Ask the kid to create their own story problems that involve multiplication. They can illustrate their problems as they wish for added involvement of creativity.
Multiplication Flashcard Challenge
Create flashcards that would contain multiplication problems on one side and answers on the other. Set a timer for the kid and see how many challenges they can solve within the time frame.
Multiplication Escape Room
Design an escape room scenario where the kid must solve multiplication problems to unlock clues and “escape” from the room. In the game, each solved problem provides a clue to the next challenge.
5th grade math fun worksheets
On the way to improving your kid’s math command, using 5th Grade Math Worksheets can significantly help. At Brighterly, you can find a lot of these:
- Division worksheets
- Fractions worksheets
- Money worksheets
- Subtraction worksheets
- Multiplication worksheets
- Numbers worksheets
Let’s take the first of these 5th-grade math fun worksheets as an example.
As you can see in the above picture, this handy worksheet allows your child to train division by whole hundreds with remainers in twenty exercises of varying complexity. But wait… what you saw was just one flip. Each Brighterly worksheet contains four pages with tasks, plus correct answers to them.
And, besides, each of the above six topics comes with several worksheets — each available for free. Obviously, your kid can get quite a lot of training, and you won’t have to do too much searching. Convenient, right?
Fraction games for 5th grade
These are some fraction 5th-grade math activities to try with your kid:
- Fraction Concentration
- Fraction Art
- Fraction Dice Games
- Equivalent Fraction Race
- Fraction Fill-In
- Fraction Card Sort
- Fraction Treasure Hunt
- Fraction Memory Game
- Fraction Board Game
- Fraction Recipe Creation
Fraction Concentration
Create cards with fractions and their equivalents. Lay them face down. The kid should flip two cards at a time to find matching pairs. If they succeed, they keep the cards. This helps reinforce recognition of equivalent fractions and is a good math game to play with 5th graders.
Fraction Art
Provide the kid with colored paper and ask them to create artwork using specific fractions. For example, they might use 1/2 of a certain color and 1/4 of another. This integrates creativity with math concepts.
Fraction Dice Games
Use dice with fractions written on them. A kid rolls two dice to create a fraction and then performs operations like addition or subtraction with them.
Equivalent Fraction Race
Set up a game board with spaces representing different fractions. Students spin a spinner to land on a fraction and then must identify an equivalent fraction to advance.
Fraction Fill-In
Makeup sentences with missing fraction numbers (e.g., “I ate ___ of the pizza”). Ask the child to fill them in as they wish. With this math practice for 5th graders, children will get context to their knowledge.
Fraction Card Sort
Give students a set of cards with different fractions. They must sort them into categories (like proper fractions, improper fractions, and mixed numbers) or order them from smallest to largest.
Fraction Treasure Hunt
Design a treasure hunt where the kid solves fraction-related clues to find the next location. Each clue leads to a fraction problem they need to solve correctly to get the next hint.
Fraction Memory Game
Create a set of cards with fractions on one half and visual representations (like pie charts) on the other. The kid must flip two cards to find matches.
Fraction Board Game
Create a board game where players advance by solving fraction problems. You’ll need several participants for this one. Include spaces with challenges like “simplify this fraction” or “find a common denominator.” Players roll dice to move and answer questions to progress.
Fraction Recipe Creation
Have your kid create a simple recipe using fractions (e.g., 1/2 cup of flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt). They can also illustrate their recipes. This task helps them apply fractions in real-world scenarios.
Online math games for fifth graders
The best online math activities for 5th graders are as follows:
One shouldn’t underestimate the role of digital math games. Whenever your kid seems bored, try these titles. They’ll let you switch their attention and help you reestablish your leading position. This way, you achieve a happy medium: you allow the child to play on their favorite device and encourage them to practice math simultaneously. Just what’s needed!
Arithmetic
Arithmetic is one of those online math games for 5th graders designed to help learners build various equations. Players will find questions in the middle of the screen and have to solve them within a set time limit. In the end, they will receive the final score. The interface here is straightforward but not less pleasant, though.
Compare their current result with the previous outcomes to see how they advanced.
Tug Team Multiplication
It’s a lively and vibrant game where the kid plays against the computer, each party represented by a smiling car. Who will be able to solve more math problems and win the round? As the child gets their answer right, they drive the other vehicle in their direction and vice versa.
Math Slither
The kid has to act as a cute slither. As different math tasks appear on the screen, they must traverse the playing field, searching for the correct answer. Did they get it? Then their slither keeps growing till they win. Missed? They shrink in size and can even disappear (lose) completely. This 5th-grade math game builds children’s confidence with algebra. All because it allows them to practice topics like mixed equations.
Cat Wars
The play is similar to Tug Team Multiplication, but here, the competition lasts between two angry kittens fighting for some tasty sausages. Let them practice division, multiplication, and more — all in a single game.
To Sum Up
The gaming form can make a difference in your child’s success in their 5th-grade math. Want to make their studying more engaging, lively, and proactive? Opt for this type. There are hundreds of games you can test and try at home, or choose ready-made online games and worksheets.
Feel like this type of learning resonates with your kid? Don’t ignore their preferences. Choose Brighterly for its convenient gaming format!