By: Alan Guo

Recent studies conducted at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago, Chile

show that some particular board games can improve children’s mathematics in different ways.

The research team at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago, Chile, discovered that certain games can raise math scores. They conducted experiments on some children that had fairly low math scores. In these studies, kids played board games under the watch of teachers or trained adults. The sessions were held twice a week for about six weeks. In some cases, one set of kids played number-centric board games, while the other played board games that did not require math skills. In other studies, both groups played number-based games. They played different games, like Monopoly and Dominoes.

The participants’ math skills were recorded before and after each study. The team was searching for four main improvements, such as naming numbers and doing simple mathematical calculations or number knowledge, like 5 plus 4 equals 9. The results of the study were published in the journal Early Years on July 6, 2023. The article stated that playing number-centric board games helps improve the children’s math skills in over half of the four areas. Also, nearly a third of the children in the first group scored higher on math tests than those in the second group.

The scientists hope that the find will lead to new games that best help classroom learning. Also having a fun night playing games adds more fun than playing the games in the classroom.