Two levels Grades 1-3 and 3 and up
“Around the World” is a fun game to encourage number discussions and practice many skills. The game can be played on two levels. Level 1 is for younger students to practice addition and subtraction and recognizing numbers 1-100 and level 2 is for grades 3 and up to practice multiples, prime numbers, square numbers, and more. The players travel around each part of the world (circles) starting from the most inner one (blue) and try to get to their destination number each time. Once they do, they move to the next circle. The winner is the one that gets to their last destination number (orange) and completes their trip around the world.
Goal: Be the first one to go around the world.
Material
- Two 6 face dice
- A deck of playing cards ( all numbers 1-10, king, queen, and two jokers)
- A place marker for each player
How to play:
Game 1- Level 1- Grades 1-3
Use only the numbered cards from the playing cards deck. Shuffle the playing cards and make a draw pile. The players start from the inner oval on number 1. They draw a card. The cards tell them what is their destination number for this part of the world (the first inner circle) that they need to get to. The players pick a new card/destination for every new circle.
- If the card is number 1, they need to get to a number that ends with 1, has 1 one. (1 or 11 for the first circle)
- If the card is the number 2 they need to get to a number that ends with 2 , has 2 ones (2,12,22)
- The same goes for numbers 4,5,6,7,8,9
- If the card is number 10 they need to get to a number that ends with 0 (count by 10s)
Once they know their destination number the players roll the two dice and add or subtract the numbers to get a number of steps to move. Every circle is a new level/part of the world. They can move in any direction around the circle to land closer or on their target number. There are two choices in every circle, and they can move backward (subtraction) or forward (addition). This might take a few turns. Once they manage to land on the destination number, at their next turn they get to move to the next outer circle and start from the smallest (grey) number. They also pick a card for their new destination number.
Example: I start from the grey tile in the first inner circle. I pick a card that says 7 so I need to get to 7 or 17. I roll 4 and 2. I can subtract and get 2 steps or add and get 6 steps. 6 steps will get me to 7, which is a destination number. At my next turn, I move on to the next inner circle. It might take a few turns to get to the destination number. The players cannot go backward beyond 1.
The winner is the player that goes around the world first. (Reaches the last destination and completes their trip around the world)
Game 2 –Level 2 -Grades 3 and up
Use all the number cards 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10, only two 1s and only two 2s, all the kings and queens. Shuffle the playing cards and make a draw pile. The players start from the inner circle on number 1. They draw a card. The cards tell them what is their destination number that they need to get to.
card number 1- Go to an odd number
card number 2 – Go to an even number
card number 3 – Go to a multiple of 3
card number 4 – Go to a multiple of 4
card number 5 – Go to a multiple of 5
card number 6 – Go to a multiple of 6
card number 7 – go to a multiple of 7
card number 8 – Go to a multiple of 8
card number 9 – Go to a multiple of 9
Card number 10 – Go to a multiple of 10
king – Go to a square number
queen – Go to a prime number
The players roll the two dice and add, subtract, divide if possible or multiply the numbers and try to get a number of steps to move that help them land closer or on their destination number. Once they manage to land on the destination number, then on their next turn they get to move to the next outer circle and pick a card for their next destination number.
The square numbers are marked with a square and the prime numbers are marked with a dot to help the players. A multiplication table is provided to help the players with the multiples.
The winner is the player that goes around the world first. (Reaches the last destination and completes their trip around the world)
Here is the pdf for the game board. Print the two parts and join them with a piece of transparent tape for a bigger board. You can print the single-page board as well. Play digitally using the free google slides version and the digital spinners.
