fun math games - "trading for a toonie"

banker's money

This title may be confusing to those outside of Canada but this simple little game can be made with any currency!

In Canada we have a lot of coins - pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, loonies($1) and toonies($2). 

(there is also a 50 cent piece but you don't see them very often)

So to help my kids learn about the value of each coin I made up this simple little game.

The object of the game:

To keep trading your coins with the "banker" until you reach a $2 coin (aka: a toonie).

You need:

~ two dice (we used 12 sided dice)

~ one addition/substraction die

~ photocopied money cards (I used glossy brochure paper)

~ containers for the "banker's" money

~ an assortment of coins

How to make the money cards:

Colour photocopy (or scan and print) the coins in a line 

and trim down the cards.

I made the following sets of cards:

(1 set per player)

5 pennies

2 nickels

2 dimes + 1 nickel

4 quarters

2 loonies($1)

*Note: after playing the game I realized that I need to also make a card that has 3 dimes on it as well.

The minimalist in me figured out that you need only the following coins for two players to play the game:

one $2

four $1

eight $0.25

four $0.10

six $0.05

fifteen $0.01

total cost $8.85!

To play:

Each player takes a set of boards.

The first player rolls the 3 dice and calculates the correct number (for example: 4+5=9)

The "banker" pays the player the total (in this case $0.09)

The player puts the coins on his/her board(s).

When a player has filled up their board with coins they may trade with the "banker" for larger coins.  

(Note: they should do this after each roll otherwise the banker may run out of money!)

The first person to trade in two $1 coins to get the toonie wins the game!

~ ~ ~

This game was an instant hit with my children (ages 7 and 9) without them realizing that they were in fact just doing "boring math". ;o)  This game not only familiarizes them with real money (play money could also be used) but it also reinforces addition and subtraction.

I think we may adapt the game to include multiplication and division when my son is older.

I hope your children enjoy playing this game too!

Do you have any simple games that make learning fun?

 Please share them with us!

xoxo

~ joey ~ 

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