Are you looking for a simple way to keep math skills growing during the summer months? Do you ever wonder if a math game is the answer? Or maybe you’re new to the Math Card Games book and aren’t quite sure where to begin.

We’ve got you covered!

Dr. Cotter has carefully selected 12 weeks of summer math games designed to help children strengthen their math skills while having fun. Instead of spending summer working through worksheets or drilling facts, children can continue learning through engaging games that build confidence, encourage problem-solving, and create positive math experiences.

The summer game plans are organized into four major skill areas:

• Preschool Skills
• Addition
• Multiplication
• Fractions

To make things even easier, each topic includes different learning paths based on a child’s skill level. Whether your child is just beginning to understand numbers, learning basic addition facts, mastering multiplication, or gaining confidence with fractions, you’ll find a path that meets them where they are.

Why Play Math Games During the Summer?

Summer is often a time when children take a break from formal lessons and enjoy a slower pace. While everyone deserves a break, many parents worry about the “summer slide”—the loss of skills that can happen when children don’t use what they’ve learned during the school year.

Math games offer the perfect solution.

Instead of feeling like schoolwork, games provide a relaxed and enjoyable way to:

• Review important concepts
• Maintain math fact fluency
• Practice strategic thinking
• Strengthen number sense
• Build confidence
• Develop problem-solving skills

Most importantly, games help children see math as something enjoyable rather than something to fear or avoid.

Getting Started Is Easy

Simply follow these three steps:

1. Choose a Topic

Decide which math area you’d like your child to focus on. You may choose the area your child recently studied, a topic that needs a little extra practice, or something that intrigues your child.

2. Select the Appropriate Level

Each game path is organized by skill level. Select the level that best matches your child’s current understanding. Remember, the goal is not to make the games difficult. Children learn best when they experience success while still being challenged enough to think.

3. Follow the Weekly Plan

Click on the game chart above and print the plan you want. Each game includes a game number that corresponds directly to the game found in your Math Card Games book.

The game number makes it easy to locate instructions and begin playing right away.

Need Help Learning a Game?

If you’re new to the Math Card Games or simply need a refresher, don’t worry.

We’ve created additional resources to help parents and children get the most from every game.

Instructional Videos

Instructional videos are available for purchase and provide step-by-step demonstrations of the games. Watching a game in action can often make learning the rules much easier.

Videos are available for various skill areas, including:

• Number Sense
• Addition
• Subtraction
• Multiplication
• Division
• Fractions
• Clock Games
• Money

Many families also enjoy revisiting games from the RightStart Math level or RightStart Tutoring book they recently completed. These familiar games provide valuable review while helping children retain important concepts.

Blogs and Extra Support

Many of the games include additional online resources.

You’ll notice some game titles have asterisks beside them:

• One asterisk (*) indicates a blog post with additional instructions, examples, and photographs.
• Two asterisks (**) indicate a blog post that also links to a free video demonstration.

Simply search for the game on the RightStart Math website to find the corresponding resource. Sometimes it’ll be faster to use the game number–like P23 or A9 and sometimes it’ll be faster to use the game name.

These extra materials can help answer questions and make learning new games even easier.

How Often Should We Play?

Each week includes one to three games.

That may not sound like many, but remember that the goal is not to rush through the list. These games are meant to be played multiple times throughout the week.

Think about your family’s favorite games. You probably don’t play them once and then put them away forever. You pull them out, time and time again, to play and laugh and enjoy. The same is true of math games.

Each time children play, they encounter:

• New situations
• Different card combinations
• Fresh strategies
• Opportunities to improve

The repetition that naturally occurs through game play is one of the reasons games are such powerful learning tools.

Learning Through Play

One of the greatest strengths of the RightStart Math card games is that they do much more than help children memorize facts.

As children play, they learn to think mathematically.

They begin to:

• Look for patterns
• Compare quantities
• Visualize numbers
• Develop strategies
• Predict outcomes
• Make mathematical decisions

These are the skills that help children become strong problem-solvers, not just strong memorizers.

Many children who struggle with traditional worksheets thrive when mathematical concepts are presented through games. The relaxed environment allows them to experiment, make mistakes, and discover solutions without the pressure often associated with formal lessons.

Building Confidence One Game at a Time

Confidence is one of the most important ingredients for mathematical success.

When children repeatedly experience frustration, they may begin to believe they are “not good at math.” Games help change that mindset.

As children play, they experience small successes that build over time. They discover that they can solve problems and develop winning strategies.

These positive experiences help children:

• Take risks
• Persevere through challenges
• Trust their thinking
• Develop a growth mindset
• Enjoy learning

When children feel successful, they become more willing to tackle new and challenging concepts.

Follow the Plan—or Make Your Own

The games have been carefully selected so that skills build from week to week. However, every child is different, and flexibility is encouraged.

Feel free to:

• Replay favorite games
• Spend extra time on difficult concepts
• Repeat a week if needed
• Skip ahead when your child is ready
• Mix and match games from different topics

The summer game plan is intended to be a helpful guide, not a rigid schedule.

Remember, meaningful learning happens at different rates for different children.

Creating Family Connections

One of the unexpected benefits of math games is the opportunity they provide for family interaction.

When parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends play together, children see that math is not simply a school subject—it is a tool for thinking, reasoning, and having fun.

Game time creates opportunities for:

• Conversation
• Encouragement
• Cooperation
• Healthy competition
• Shared laughter

These positive experiences often become some of a child’s favorite learning memories.

The Most Important Goal

At RightStart Math, we believe that understanding should come before memorization and that learning should be enjoyable.

By spending just a little time each week playing math games, your child will:

✔  Maintain important skills throughout the summer
✔  Strengthen mathematical understanding
✔  Build confidence and independence
✔  Develop problem-solving abilities
✔  Practice strategic thinking
✔  Enjoy meaningful family time
✔  Create positive attitudes toward math that last for years to come

So grab a deck of cards, choose your first game, and start your summer adventure. With a little play, a little practice, and a lot of fun, your child can continue growing as a mathematician all summer long.