My favorite math teacher in school was big on learning to do math in your head; it comes in really handy when you’re at the bank, figuring out how much to tip, or whether you can afford that car repair your mechanic insists on. So I was mildly astounded when my daughter was still having to do math on paper as a high school senior. I wish we’d had Math Rush then!


Our Math Rush games bundle is a great way for students and anyone else to get those fundamentals down while having fun at the same time…AND learning to do math in your head.

The Elegance of Math

Math is precise. That’s the beauty of it. Numbers don’t lie. If you get different answers when adding up numbers, it’s usually operator error. Or you’re cooking the books.

Math is foundational. What that means is that it’s a discipline that requires a strong grounding in the fundamentals, which you then build on as you learn more of its complexities. So you can start with arithmetic—the ABCs of math, if you will—and start moving on up to mathematics—all with Math Rush.

 

What Do Kids Learn?

In addition to learning math fundamentals—addition, subtraction, multiplication, exponents, fractions, decimals and percentages—players learn how to compute equations in their head as quickly as possible. They also learn to collaborate with other players while trying to rack up as many points as possible and avoiding errors, which translate into points lost. So they’re also learning and refining strategies during each round of play.

Who Can Play?

All three card games in the Math Rush bundle, which starts with the basics (addition and subtraction) in Math Rush 1 and grows more complex through Math Rush 2 (multiplication and exponents) and 3 (decimals, fractions and percentages), are designed for one to five players ages eight and above. The more players, the better the collaboration; that comes in handy because each round is timed and more cards are put into play. And that third, fourth or fifth player might well be a math whiz!

Once players have the game rules down pat, they can end up playing with equations above the math level they’re learning in school that year. For kids who might struggle with the fundamentals or who don’t like the way math is taught in a more formal setting, this set of games can make the subject fun.

Nuts and Bolts

Each game includes Goal cards that lay out the results you’re looking for in each round, with the game lasting for three rounds of three minutes each. Players receive a specific number of equation cards as their hand, depending on the number of participants. As in most Genius Games titles, the deck includes Help cards that can be used at the discretion of each player to remove cards from a Goal or refresh player hands.

Much of the challenge comes in the speed with which each round is played. Three minutes becomes really fast when you’re adding, subtracting, calculating, and trying to maximize your points. Throw in some basic strategies and you might find your head spinning by the end of each game. Overall, the three rounds usually take 15 minute or less to complete.

Card design and production is first class and enough cards are included to make each matchup new and uniquely exciting, especially if you have all three sets of Math Rush decks. Rule books, as always, are included and lay out rules in a straightforward and comprehensive manner.



The Final Word

These are collaborative card games in which players cooperate to beat goals for each round within a very short period of time. It requires cooperative strategizing rather than individual competition, which adds to the element of fun at each level.

Playing a math game to learn and reinforce basic math rather than using class-room style flashcards or times tables means everyone learns while having fun. In Math Rush 3, the fractions and decimals may seem simple, but players must continually solve multiple types of math equations while racing to sequence them in ascending and descending order.

We’ve made the Math Rush sets even more attractive for a limited time by offering 17% off both individual games’ prices and the entire bundle. Always a very affordably priced game, it’s now even more attractive at…well, you do the math.