Why Math Review Games are the Best Way to End the Year

We have all been there…It’s the last week or two of school and your students’ brains are already on summer break. Let’s be honest…usually by that point my brain is also dreaming of summer days of sleeping in and soaking up the rays. 


So how can we keep our kiddos (and ourselves) engaged and motivated right up until the very end? Math review games in the form of a friendly team competition always end my year on a high note. Read on for some ideas of how you can implement this fun math game during your last few weeks of school to guarantee your students are engaged and end the year wanting to do math (one teacher who did this commented that her students were MAD when they had to go to recess because they wanted to keep playing). 

Math Review Games shown including a place value puzzle, clock sorting game, and mystery number clues. There are also gold, silver, and bronze medals that students can earn by winning the games.

Math Review Game Overview

  1. Divide your students into teams of 4-5 students.
  2. Have them choose a team name (different countries, animals, colors, etc).
  3. Pick 5-10 games and have teams compete head to head.
  4. After each game award a gold, silver, and bronze medal (or 3,2,1 points) to the top 3 teams. 
  5. See which team has the most points at the end of all events.

I usually play 2-3 events each day during our last week or two of school. I love that the math games help review key skills and the competition style math review keeps my students engaged and motivated to do math even with summer on the brain. Our schedule usually goes out the window with all of the end of the year special events so doing math games is the perfect way to fill our class time with fun, yet meaningful activities.

Game Ideas

  • Flashcard Face Off – have 1 person from each team draw a flash card and answer the fact. The highest answer wins a point for their team. Play enough rounds so everyone gets 2 turns to draw.
  • Caterpillar – Part luck, part strategy, all fun. This math game has students roll dice and try ordering their rolls from least to greatest. Click here for the freebie!
  • Any math center game you have played throughout the year. Even puzzles can turn into games by timing teams as they solve.
  • Task Cards – pull out any task card set you have from the year and turn it into a relay game. Play in the gym for extra fun. Tape the task cards to a poster board (1 for each team). Then have 1 person from each team race to the poster, answer a task card, then race back and tag the next person in line. First time to finish with all answers correct wins.

Want it Done for You?

Math review games shown including a place value puzzle, fraction sorting game, and mystery number clues. There are also gold, silver and bronze medals that students can earn for winning the games.

Looking for games that are ready to go? Below are links to the games I have used with my students over the years. Every single year they are an absolute hit and we end our year on such a high note. Math review games + friendly competition = tons of fun! 


Whether you make your own or click below and use these, I hope you and your students love the math review game competition as much as we do!


1st Grade

2nd Grade

4th Grade


*No, I don’t have 3rd grade yet. I try not make anything unless I have personally taught that grade level because I want to make sure that whatever I am giving you is the perfect fit for your students.

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