Games

“I love the games because even though I struggle in math, I feel like I’m just as smart as everyone else. I can learn more when we play.”

Games offer a break from grades, tests, and worksheets. The best games offer tricky challenges and a level playing field, allowing students to learn more deeply and develop a social bond around mathematics. Available for delivery and in multiple free formats, MathMINDs' games strengthen mathematical understanding and build a positive math culture.

Inspired by three African countries - Ghana, Mozambique, Madagascar.

1st and up
weight-2x

Achi

Follow a magical gold weight from Ghana as you enjoy twists on the beloved game Tic-Tac-Toe. The game pieces are designed after actual gold weights found in the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art.

Read the story

English | Spanish

 

2nd and up
butterfly-2x

Gulugufe

In Mozambique, gulugufe means butterfly. You are a team of caterpillars in an all-out attack to own the branches (the game board). Use positive and negative to attack using both sides of the branches.

 

English | Spanish

2nd and up
lemur-list

Fanorona

Play Madagascar's national board game as its national animal - the lemur.  You are a team of wobbly lemurs knocking each other over like dominoes. Use lemur ages to knock over more strategically. 

 

 

English | Spanish

 

Inspired by an ancient story from China.

1st and up
turtle

Turtle Sums

Featuring a magical turtle Lo Shu (known today as a magic square) fill in turtle shells just right to make dozens of turtles happy.

 

Read the story

English | Spanish

 

Inspired by shepherds from the African country Lesotho.

PreK - 1st
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Kraal Animals I

Featuring animals from Lesotho, simulate a game of hide and seek with cards. Can you remember the animals as well as cows do?

 

Read the story

English | Spanish

 

PreK - 1st
kraal animals 2_color

Kraal Animals II

Continue Kraal Animals with cards that increase the challenge, looking more alike than before.  Can you tell how they differ mathematically?

 

Read the story

English | Spanish

 

PreK - 1st
scarynumbers-20200409-lildino_capstoneStory_v2

Scary Feet

Learn about one of the scariest predators of all time; K-Brok.  Related to the T-Rex, K-Brok ends up not being scary at all using "I Love You" as a way to teach finger counting.

 

English | Spanish

K - 1st
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Kraal Cows I

You are cows trying to grow your herd.  Play with all cards face up and try to uncover the sneaky swap made by the other player.

Kraal Cows is based on a traditional memory game played by herders in Lesotho called Dithwai.

Read the story

English | Spanish

K - 1st
kraalcows-giraffe

Kraal Cows II

Level up in the game with cows being extra sneaky - dressing up as zebras and giraffes. How large can you grow your herd now?

Read the story

English | Spanish

 

 

K - 1st
disappearingmoon-20200523_capstoneStory

Disappearing Moon

Learn about the oldest known mathematical artifact based on an actual story told by the first mathematicians - the Kalahari People of southern Africa.

 

English | Spanish

Storybooks are digital only

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MathMINDs Promotes Math Learning at Home

Family interactions make an important difference in education. Unfortunately, family engagement with math is all too rare.

With the support of the Brady Education Foundation, we conducted a four-week family study using our South of the Sahara game box.

On average, families voluntarily played at home for more than 9 hours (16 times) and saw a significant improvement in growth mindset!

Learn More

Third Party Validation

MathMINDs earned the prestigious Academic's Choice Brain Toy Award in 2018 for the South of the Sahara 3-game collection!

Read More
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Free Resources

We offer several ways to access the games and storybooks for free - including, printable, digital, and mobile access. If you prefer to have physical games delivered to you, visit our online catalog.

Storybook Printable Play Online
Achi

READ

English | Español

DOWNLOAD

Game Boards

SELECT

English | Español
Disappearing Moon

READ

English | Espanol
Fanorona

READ

English | Español
Gulugufe

READ

English | Español
Kraal Animals I

READ

English | Español

DOWNLOAD

English | Español

SELECT
English | Español
Kraal Animals II

READ

English | Español

DOWNLOAD
Game Cards

SELECT

English | Español
Kraal Cows I

READ

English | Español

DOWNLOAD

Game Cards

SELECT

English | Español
Kraal Cows II

READ

English | Español

DOWNLOAD

Game Cards

SELECT

English | Español
Scary Feet

READ

English | Espanol
Slimey is Half

READ

English | Español
Turtle Sums

READ

English | Español

DOWNLOAD

Game Puzzles

SELECT

English | Español
Achi
Storybook

READ

English | Español
Printable

DOWNLOAD

Game Boards
Play Online

SELECT

English | Español
Disappearing Moon
Storybook

READ

English | Espanol
Printable
Fanorona
Storybook

READ

English | Español
Gulugufe
Storybook

READ

English | Español
Kraal Animals I
Storybook

READ

English | Español
Printable

DOWNLOAD

English | Español
Play Online

SELECT
English | Español
Kraal Animals II
Storybook

READ

English | Español
Printable

DOWNLOAD
Game Cards
Play Online

SELECT

English | Español
Kraal Cows I
Storybook

READ

English | Español
Printable

DOWNLOAD

Game Cards
Play Online

SELECT

English | Español
Kraal Cows II
Storybook

READ

English | Español
Printable

DOWNLOAD

Game Cards
Play Online

SELECT

English | Español
Scary Feet
Storybook

READ

English | Espanol
Slimey is Half
Storybook

READ

English | Español
Turtle Sums
Storybook

READ

English | Español
Printable

DOWNLOAD

Game Puzzles
Play Online

SELECT

English | Español

Additional Resources

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