Os Melhores Jogos de Tabuleiro e Cartas Matemáticos para Crianças (4-8 anos)

Os jogos de tabuleiro e cartas matemáticos são uma das formas mais simples de reforçar as competências numéricas e de raciocínio em crianças dos 4 aos 8 anos, tanto em casa como na sala de aula. Jogos como uma corrida de números caseira, "O número mais alto ganha", o Memory ou o Dominó ajudam as crianças a reconhecer números, comparar quantidades, ordená-los, exercitar a memória e raciocinar sobre formas e espaço.

Um estudo de 2008 com crianças em idade pré-escolar mostrou que bastavam algumas sessões curtas com um simples jogo de tabuleiro numerado para melhorar significativamente o conhecimento dos números. E como se joga em grupo, as crianças também praticam esperar pela sua vez, explicar o que estão a fazer e lidar tanto com vitórias como com derrotas.

A seguir encontras jogos matemáticos gratuitos para fazer em casa, jogos de cartas que vale a pena comprar, e jogos em família nos quais as crianças podem ir crescendo.

Guia rápido: jogos matemáticos por idade e competência

Por que estas competências precoces são importantes

As competências matemáticas com que as crianças chegam à escola são um dos indicadores mais fortes do seu desempenho futuro, segundo um estudo de psicologia do desenvolvimento de 2007. Isto não significa fazer contas e fichas aos quatro anos. Significa construir as bases: saber o aspeto dos números, perceber que 7 é mais do que 4, ordená-los e reconhecer pequenas quantidades à primeira vista.

As competências de raciocínio importam tanto quanto isso. Reter informação na memória (memória de trabalho), reparar em detalhes (perceção visual) e imaginar como as formas giram e encaixam (raciocínio espacial) são a base da aprendizagem precoce da matemática.

É precisamente sobre estas competências que a Magrid é construída: um método de fundamento cognitivo que as desenvolve através de exercícios curtos e sem necessidade de linguagem. Os jogos de tabuleiro e cartas matemáticos deste artigo são uma excelente forma de praticar essas mesmas competências noutro contexto: à volta de uma mesa, com outras pessoas e com muitas gargalhadas.

Jogos e fichas para imprimir: porque combinar os dois funciona melhor

As fichas ou imprimíveis são ideais para a prática concentrada, e encontras fichas para imprimir no site da Magrid. Games add something worksheets can’t: children choose to play them again and again, often without realising they are practising math at all.

Games are also social. When children play together, they:

• take turns and wait for others
• explain their moves (“I put my 6 here because it’s next to the 5”)
• talk about numbers with adults and other children
• learn to win kindly and lose without giving up

A mix of both works well: a worksheet for a quiet ten minutes, a game when everyone is together.

Free Math Games You Can Make at Home or School

You don’t need to buy anything to get started. A deck of cards, a die, some paper and a few small objects are enough for all of these.

1. The Number Race

Draw a straight track of 10 squares and number them 1 to 10. Take turns flipping a coin: heads moves your counter 1 square, tails moves it 2. Moving only one or two squares at a time keeps each game going for several turns, and a game takes just a few minutes, so children can play it again and again. The key: children say the numbers they land on as they move (“6, 7”), rather than counting “1, 2”.

For older children: once 1 to 10 feels easy, draw a longer track from 1 to 20 and use a normal die. After that, move on to a 1 to 100 board, such as Snakes and Ladders. Keep the same rule: say each number as you move.

This is the math game with the strongest research behind it. Ramani and Siegler (2008) found that preschoolers from low-income backgrounds who played a game like this in four 15-minute sessions over two weeks were afterwards better at counting, recognising numbers, comparing numbers and placing numbers on a line — and the gains were still there nine weeks later. A follow-up study by the same researchers found a straight track worked better than a circular one.

Ages: 4+ · Builds: linking numbers to amounts and position, putting numbers in order

2. Biggest Number Wins

Remove the picture cards from a deck (or use UNO cards). Each player turns over a card at the same time, and the biggest number takes both. For younger children, use only cards 1 to 5 and count the symbols together. For older children, turn over two cards each and add them.

Ages: 4+ · Builds: comparing numbers, recognising amounts

3. Make Ten

Lay out cards from 1 to 9 face up. Players take turns finding two cards that add up to 10. Once that’s easy, turn the cards face down and play it like Memory.

Ages: 5+ · Builds: early addition, number pairs that make 10

4. Memory (Pairs)

Lay matching cards face down and take turns turning over two, keeping any pairs. Start with 6 pairs and add more as children improve. For a number twist, match a numeral card (“4”) with a card showing four dots or objects.

Ages: 4+ · Builds: working memory, visual perception, linking numbers to amounts

5. Dominoes

Play the classic way by matching ends. The dot patterns help children recognise small amounts at a glance, without counting one by one.

Ages: 4+ · Builds: recognising amounts quickly

6. Paper Tangrams

Cut a square of card into the seven tangram shapes and try to make simple pictures, like a house, a cat or a boat. Children have to turn and flip the pieces until they fit. Children who often play with puzzles, blocks and board games tend to have stronger spatial skills, according to a large US study by Jirout and Newcombe (2015).

Ages: 4+ · Builds: spatial reasoning, shapes, turning shapes in your mind

7. UNO: One Deck, Lots of Games

Many families already own UNO, and the clear 0 to 9 numbers in four colours make it ideal for young children. Beyond the normal game (matching colour or number), try:

• Line up: put 0 to 9 in order in one colour, then remove a card and spot the gap
• Biggest Number Wins and Make Ten with UNO cards instead of a standard deck
• Patterns: start a colour pattern (red, blue, red, blue) and take turns continuing it

For beginners, take out the action cards.

Ages: 4+ · Builds: recognising numbers, putting numbers in order, patterns

Math Card Games Worth Owning

These games are designed with young players in mind and are widely available. Each one is quick to learn and fun for adults too.

Rat-a-Tat Cat
Players try to end up with the lowest total by keeping the low “cat” cards and getting rid of the high “rat” cards. Cards are kept face down, so children have to remember what they have peeked at. The box includes rules for younger players.
Ages: 6+ (many families play from 5) · Builds: working memory, comparing numbers, adding totals

Dragomino
The children’s version of the family game Kingdomino. Players pick domino-style tiles and try to match landscapes to hatch baby dragons. It won the 2021 Kinderspiel des Jahres, the German children’s game of the year award.
Ages: 5+ · Builds: visual perception, matching, planning where pieces fit

Sleeping Queens
A card game invented by a six-year-old, where players wake up sleeping queens. Number cards can be swapped by making simple addition sums, such as 2 + 3 = 5. Younger children can keep a list of addition facts beside them while they learn.
Ages: 8+ on the box (often played from 5 or 6) · Builds: early addition, working memory

Qwirkle
Players build rows of wooden tiles that share the same colour or the same shape, without repeats. There is no reading involved, so it works for children with any home language.
Ages: 6+ · Builds: shapes and patterns, visual perception

Tip: skip the scoring at first and just build together. Add points once children are confident.

Family Math Games to Grow Into

Some of the best games for building these skills were made for older children and adults. With a few small changes, younger children can join in, and there are two big motivations built in. They get to play the same game as the rest of the family or class. And they have a reason to learn bigger numbers, so that one day they can play the full version.

Cabo
Players keep cards face down, peek at a few, and swap cards to get the lowest total. It’s a brilliant memory game with comparing and adding built in.
Made for: older children and adults · Builds: working memory, comparing numbers, adding totals
To adapt: deal fewer cards and leave out the special power cards. Rat-a-Tat Cat (above) is a good stepping stone.

Take 5 (6 nimmt!)
Players place numbered cards into rows, always after the closest lower number. Every turn is a decision about number order.
Box age: 8+ · Builds: putting numbers in order, comparing numbers
To adapt: the full deck runs from 1 to 104. Start with cards 1 to 30 and ignore the penalty points.

The Mind
A cooperative game where the whole team tries to play numbered cards in order from lowest to highest, without talking. Because everyone wins or loses together, it works well with mixed ages.
Box age: 8+ · Builds: putting numbers in order, sensing how far apart numbers are
To adapt: use only cards 1 to 20 to start.

Skyjo
Each player has a grid of face-down cards and swaps them to get the lowest total. Cards run from -2 to 12.
Box age: 8+ · Builds: comparing numbers, adding totals, working memory
To adapt: use a smaller grid (2 rows of 3) and remove the negative number cards.

Tacta
Players flip, twist and turn cards so the shapes on them match and overlap the cards already on the table. Each card’s value is the number of dots on it.
Box age: 7+ · Builds: spatial reasoning, turning shapes in your mind, recognising amounts
To adapt: build a layout together as a team and count the dots at the end.

NMBR 9
Players stack number tiles shaped like the numbers 0 to 9, turning them to fit. Tiles higher up the stack score more.

Box age: 8+ · Builds: spatial reasoning, recognising numbers, early multiplication
To adapt: skip the scoring and simply build.

How to Adapt Almost Any Math Game

• use a smaller range of numbers
• remove the special or action cards
• play with cards face up so everyone can help
• play as a team instead of against each other
• skip the scoring until the game feels easy
• pair a younger child with an adult or older child

Math Games and Magrid: Better Together

Early number and thinking skills give children a strong start, and there are many ways to build them. Magrid is a cognitive foundation method developed from doctoral research at the University of Luxembourg, building these skills step by step through short, language-free exercises that every child can access. You can read more about the research behind it on our página de Investigação e Dados.

The math card and board games in this post are a wonderful way to extend that learning at home and in class. Start with a homemade number race or a round of Biggest Number Wins, add a children’s game or two, and keep a family game on the shelf for children to grow into. The skills are the same. The setting is just a little noisier.

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