5 Dice Games Your Students Will Love

When I first started teaching upper elementary, I thought I had to choose between making math fun and keeping it skill-focused. But I quickly realized the two aren’t mutually exclusive, especially when you introduce math games with dice. Over the years, I’ve built a go-to collection of these games that became instant favorites with my fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students.

If you’re looking for low-prep, high-impact ways to boost number sense, operations, and strategic thinking, these five math games with dice are classroom gold.

1. Race to 100

Builds: Addition fluency, mental math, and number sense

This easy-to-learn dice game is always a class favorite. Each student rolls two dice, adds them together, and keeps a running total from round to round. The goal? Be the first to reach 100.

Race to 100 might sound simple, but it’s a powerful tool for developing mental math. I’ve watched students get faster at adding two-digit numbers in their heads and more confident at tracking cumulative scores. The best part is when they naturally start estimating how many more turns they’ll need to win, without any prompting. That’s the kind of independent math thinking I always try to nurture.

2. What’s the Difference?

Builds: Subtraction, estimation, and understanding of 100 as a benchmark number

This game gives students a meaningful reason to subtract from a benchmark number, which makes the math feel more purposeful. Students roll two dice, form a two-digit number, and subtract the number from 100; the difference becomes their score. After five rounds, the player with a total score closest to 500 wins.

At first, I used this game as a warm-up. But then I noticed something: My students who struggled with subtraction started asking to play again. They were gaining confidence, spotting number patterns, and figuring out shortcuts. Some used mental math, others used hundred charts, and a few quietly rediscovered regrouping in subtraction. It’s a perfect example of how math games with dice can remove pressure while building skills.

3. Sequences

Builds: Probability, pattern recognition, and risk-taking

I’ll admit it, Sequences is my personal favorite. It uses six dice, and the goal is to roll the longest number sequence starting at 1 (so 1, 2, 3, etc.). But you only get one roll per turn, and if you don’t roll a 1, your turn is over before it even starts. If you’re lucky, you might roll from 1 through 6 in a single turn. And there’s a catch: Roll three 1s in one turn, and your entire score resets to zero. Talk about a real-world lesson in risk and reward.

This game turned even my most math-averse students into probability fanatics. I had kids debating the likelihood of rolling a 4 after already landing a 1, 2, and 3. They began to understand the role of luck in number games and how strategy and risk-taking are key parts of problem-solving.

Most important, they were having fun. When someone rolled triple 1s and groaned as their score reset, the whole table would react. It sparked conversations about fairness, chance, and perseverance. I call that a teaching win.

4. Make 10

Builds: Addition fluency, number bonds, and mental math

This is one of my go-to games for reinforcing basic addition facts in a way that doesn’t feel like a drill. All it takes is one die, a way to keep score, and a small group of students.

On their turn, players roll a single die and quickly figure out what number added to it would make 10. If they roll a 4, for example, they say “Six” and earn six points for that round. It’s simple, fast-paced, and loaded with meaningful practice.

We play for 10 rounds, and the player with the most points wins. You can make it even more engaging by turning it into a small tournament or letting students keep a weekly scorecard. I’ve found that these little tweaks help keep motivation high and give students a sense of progress over time.

I’ve used this game with students who struggled to recall basic facts, and even after just a few rounds, I noticed a shift. They started responding more quickly and confidently, recognizing number bonds without hesitation. Even students who usually frowned at flash cards were suddenly asking to play another round.

5. Roll Your Way to One Huge Number

Builds: Place value understanding, multidigit comparison, and strategic thinking

If your students get excited by big numbers, this game is a guaranteed hit. Each player rolls one die seven times, recording each number in the order rolled. Once all seven digits are written down, they get 30 seconds to rearrange them into the largest possible seven-digit number. The player with the largest number earns that many points, and scoring seven digits’ worth of points is enough to put a big, satisfied smile on any elementary student’s face.

What I love about this game is how quickly it sparks real math conversations. Students start debating where to place their 9s, and whether putting a 2 in the thousands place or the 10s place makes a bigger difference. Those discussions show they’re thinking deeply about how place value works and why it matters.

Why Math Games With Dice Work

So what makes these math games with dice such powerful tools in the classroom? First, they’re extremely accessible. I’ve used them with fourth through sixth graders and even adapted them for middle school students who needed review or a confidence boost. They’re low-prep, require almost no materials, and can be played in short bursts.

More important, these games build real, lasting math skills. I’ve seen struggling students begin to participate more because a game leveled the playing field. I’ve watched math-loving students push their thinking further, exploring strategies, estimating, and analyzing patterns. And I’ve seen entire groups of students talk math talk without my having to initiate it.

Even better? These games create positive associations with math. They break the cycle of anxiety some students feel when faced with traditional problems. The laughter, the quick thinking, the little victories after a successful round—all of it helps students see themselves as capable mathematicians.