Blog — Games for Young Minds

Holiday Gift Guide 2020

It's my favorite time of year! The time when friends, family, and coworkers start texting me, asking for gift ideas. "Hey, Kent, I have a niece who is in 2nd grade, what game should I get for her?"

Longtime readers of Games for Young Minds know that I've made a habit of creating gift guides for the holidays (here is last year's, for example). Below, you'll find two recommendations for each age group. Some of the games are more explicitly mathematical than others, but all the games involve the sort of math reasoning and spatial thinking that helps kids grapple with new math material.

Board GamesKent HainesDecember 2, 2020Comment

Mapmaker: The Gerrymandering Game

Were your kids interested in the election? Mine sure were. And even if they weren't old enough to appreciate the issues at play, there was still plenty to talk about - the Electoral College, the houses of Congress, and all sorts of other topics that piqued my kids' interest.

Of course, they were already interested because of my (late, lamented) run for city council this summer. Since then, I had been on the lookout for a board game that had an election-based theme. And I found a fun one! It's a gerrymandering game called Mapmaker.

Board GamesKent HainesNovember 19, 2020Comment

Killer Sudoku

Last week was... stressful! While I waited with the rest of the country as the country took an entire week to open Schrodinger's box, I found the strangest way to calm down: watching these two delightful British men solve absurd sudoku puzzles on Youtube.

I know, that sounds crazy, right? But seriously, check this video out - it's the one that got me hooked. I found it from a Twitter friend, and 20 minutes later I was cheering like the crowd in Rudy, watching a man place numbers in a 9x9 grid.

Free Games, Other Activities, PuzzlesKent HainesNovember 12, 2020Comment

MULTI - Now Available!

About a year ago, I shared a Kickstarter campaign on this newsletter. The game, developed by Federico Chialvo, was a fantastic melding of tic-tac-toe and multiplication that turned out to be far deeper and more interesting than I had expected. Fortunately, the Kickstarter was funded, so Federico got to work putting the game into production.

And now, the moment I've been waiting for is finally here! And I'm so thrilled that y'all finally get to play a game that I think is an absolute must-have for any upper-elementary kid or classroom.

The game is called MULTI.

Board GamesKent HainesOctober 29, 2020Comment

Round 'Em Up

This week's game was invented by Tracy Proffitt, who is one of the hosts of the lovely Math Before Breakfast podcast. If you're a teacher, by the way, definitely check out Tracy's podcast! They do a great job of keeping a conversational vibe while also being well-prepared and thoughtful on their topics. And the show notes are a treasure trove of great resources, activities and games!

Free GamesKent HainesOctober 22, 2020Comment

Multiplication by Heart

Back in April, I sent out a newsletter about the Kickstarter campaign for Multiplication by Heart. This set of flash cards was developed by Dan Finkel, whom you'll remember as the creator of Tiny Polka Dot and Prime Climb.

You might wonder - flash cards sound like the opposite of a game. Why would Kent be promoting these things?

Two reasons: First of all, I trust Dan, and I know that he is already hard at work figuring out ways to make games from these beautiful cards. And secondly, I know that lots of parents out there are going to buy multiplication flash cards for their kids at some point, and I'd rather those flash cards be awesome.

Well, now you get to see exactly what I mean! Because Dan has partnered with the folks at Mathigon to create a free, online version of his Multiplication by Heart cards!

Digital Games, Free Games, Other ActivitiesKent HainesOctober 15, 2020Comment

playingcards.io

When I announced that the newsletter was back, I asked for people to send me requests. I heard from A LOT of folks who were interested in finding a way to play games without sharing materials, either at home, in virtual classrooms, or in-person.

So I've been hunting for resources ever since! And I wanted to share one with you this week: playingcards.io

Free Games, Digital Games, Other ActivitiesKent HainesOctober 8, 2020Comment

Dragonwood

This Labor Day weekend my son turned 8, and we celebrated the best way we knew how - out at the lake, grilling and swimming and playing backyard games.

When we got back in town, J got to open his presents, which included more than a couple board games. He immediately gravitated toward one game in particular. I don't know if he was drawn to the artwork or the sense of danger and risk-tasking, but I'm glad he was! This game has turned into a big hit around the household. Even my 5 year old daughter likes to play, as long as a parent is there to give her some advice.

The game is called Dragonwood.

Board GamesKent HainesOctober 1, 2020Comment

The Hexagon Challenge

First of all, thank you to everyone for the kind words in my inbox! I heard from dozens of parents and teachers who are looking for all sorts of games for classrooms and kids at home. I have a bunch of ideas based on your requests!

This week's game is from one of my go-to math educators, Christopher Danielson. You may remember him from such hits as the How Many? book, the Which One Doesn't Belong? book, the Number Scavenger Hunt game, and all sorts of other wonderful ideas from the website Talking Math With Your Kids.

This game is called The Hexagon Challenge.

Other Activities, PuzzlesKent HainesSeptember 24, 2020Comment

Sometimes We Do

You probably don't need a rant from me about the state of our country or our world. After all, you signed up to receive lighthearted math game recommendations.

So I'll be brief: I fully and wholeheartedly support the protestors, their political goals, and their vision for our country. And if you want to hear more on that topic, feel free to email me since it's basically all I want to talk about these days.

But let's say you're still in the market for enriching math tools for the home, but you also want your money to go towards supporting fantastic black educators and black-owned businesses.

Well I've got the perfect opportunity for you! It's a picture book called Sometimes We Do.

BooksKent HainesJune 12, 2020Comment

Magna-Tiles

As we move from the school year into the summer, you might be looking for some toys that keep your kids engaged and thinking, without seeming too academic. I think this week's recommendation fits the bill perfectly: Magna-Tiles (affiliate link)

Board Games, Other ActivitiesKent HainesMay 21, 2020Comment

Mathball

My kids invented a game! If you've been reading this newsletter for a while, you know what a momentous occasion this is.

We are in the blessed spring here in Alabama, before the heat gets truly unbearable. As a result, we have been trying to stay outside as much as possible. So my older two kids came up with the perfect math game to play in a driveway or on a sidewalk. All you need is some chalk and a ball of some sort.

My son named it Mathball.

Kent HainesMay 13, 2020Comment

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