A game that we’ve been seeing on many of our travels at many historic sites is Shut the Box. Shut the Box is the perfect game for practicing a variety of math skills, no matter your skill level or your space requirements!

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When I first began my search for Shut the Box, I actually wanted 4-Way Countdown, which is the same game, but for four players. However, I found a 2-person Shut the Box at the thrift store, so picked that up. You can also find it as a single-player game. (And I’ll admit to being thoroughly tempted to purchase a much smaller version when I saw it at Berkeley Plantation, but I couldn’t justify the $10 for a game we already owned.) I even include instructions for DIYing your own version in my book, Gameschooling on a Budget!

The instructions call for you to only use addition, but we allow any operation. I like to challenge my kids to see how many numbers they can cross off in one turn. I can generally figure out how to cross off all the numbers in one turn, but my son’s record is beating me in two turns. (When I play a game like Shut the Box, for which I have a clear advantage of many more years of experience with basic arithmetic, I will often play so that my kids win – but just barely.)

The instructions are pretty simple. On your turn, roll the two dice. If you’re working on addition, add them together. Then cover as many numbers as add to the sum. For example, if you roll a 5 and a 3, you could cover your 8, 7+1, 6+2, or 5+3. When you cross off 9, 8, and 7, then you only roll with one die. If you can’t cross off any numbers, then you have to skip. Once both players skip once, the game is over. The winner is whoever has the lowest total that’s not crossed off.

When we play, allowing any operation, you can multiply your dice. This gives you a higher number; in our example above, 5×3=15. Then, you can use any operation to combine as many numbers as you can. 9+8-7+6-5+4-3+2+1=15

While you may decide it’s not worth it to purchase the game, it’s definitely worth it to DIY. I love how Shut the Box can be used for such a variety of arithmetic skills. You can use basic addition with your child who is working on adding within 10, or you can incorporate multiplication, subtraction, division, or even exponents! Just make sure to match up players according to math skills, play it as a single-player game, or have them play you and play at their level.