Three-plus
Buggy Bingo from M&S Mercantile is a colourful game to suit three-to six-year-olds that is designed to build on counting skills from one to ten.
The game includes a spinning board, four laminated game cards with bug facts on the back and 36 markers. Two to four children can play at a time, and the object of the game is to spin the dial and identify and match the number and type of bug with the one depicted on your collecting card.
Priced 4.95.
* Telephone 0161 236 4616
New to the Insect Lore range is Magnet Match Ups - Numbers. This set consists of a magnetic puzzle with large puzzle pieces - ten picture magnets and ten number magnets. The aim of the game is to match each numeral to the corresponding picture, but additional ideas are included to extend maths activities with the set. Priced 9.99.
* Telephone 01908 563338
1,2,3I Maths from Asco works on different levels, according to the age and abilities of the players. Younger children can play a whole game in a short period of time and gain the satisfaction of winning, while being encouraged to use first addition and subtraction skills (up to three). Older children will enjoy playing a game of strategy that involves collecting passengers to help them go faster, while driving round the circuit. Up to six children can play at once, which makes for quite a lively session. The set includes cars in four colours, people in four colours, a podium, six game cards and instructions. Priced 49.95.
* Telephone 0113 2707070
Giant Floor Dominoes is a 'best seller' for Philip & Tacey, and provides an easily-accessible route to reinforcing number values. The dots on each tile are colour coded and the tiles themselves are made from strong felt, with an anti-slip base. Each piece measures 210 x 105mm and the set of 28 comes in a plastic storage tray. Priced 18.95.
* Telephone 01264 332171
Five-plus
Your Number's Up! from Mail Order Express is a card game with a difference.
Each card depicts a large numeral up to 20, and players take it in turns to lay down a card on the playing board provided and complete simple sums.
Each completed sum allows you to keep the three cards involved, known as a 'trick', until there are no more cards left. One side of the board is for addition sums and the other is for subtraction. The game can be played with two to six players. Priced 7.99.
* Telephone 08700 129090
Tricolino is ideal for children who need some quiet time. It can be used in solitary play or by more children working together in co-operation. The set comes in a wooden box, containing 40 triangular pieces, measuring 5 x 5 x 5cm, two blank square pieces, six double-sided pattern cards and instructions. Each triangular piece depicts one, two or three linked half beads, which need to be colour matched and joined to other pieces to make whole beads. In addition to colour matching and developing their concentration skills, younger children can play a domino-type game with the pieces and there are also pattern cards in black and white, for slightly more difficult variations. Priced Pounds 28.95.
* Telephone 0113 2707070
Numero from Prim-Ed is recommended for six-year-olds to adults and is, the company warns, 'addictive'. The game was originally devised by a sufferer of Alzheimer's disease in an attempt to keep his mind active, and the royalties from the sale of every pack of Numero are channelled to fund various dementia-related programs throughout the world. Numero is a card game that has only three rules, but can be played at many different levels to teach addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, percentages, powers and roots. The game can be played co-operatively or competitively in pairs or in small or large groups. A teachers' starter kit that includes a pack of cards, an instructional CD-Rom, a printed guide, rules and a wall-chart is priced 15.95. A single pack of cards is priced 7.95 and a class pack that includes 15 packs of cards, plus a free instructor's guide, video and poster, is priced 99.99.
* Telephone 08700 131208
Some children may not want to sit at a table and play games, but that doesn't mean you can't provide interesting maths resources for them.
Euro-Money, from BrightMinds, should bring some topical interest and opportunities for role-play, as well as encouraging them to indulge in some money-based, mental maths. The play money comes with a note wallet measuring 11 x 18cm, plus a bag of 100 mixed coins and 20 each of the five, ten, 20 and 50 euro notes and ten each of the 100 and 200 euro notes.
Priced 9.95.
* Telephone 0870 4422144
Seven-plus
Still on the subject of money, Nubble, by Ravensburger, is all about outwitting your opponents and earning the most money. To play, you roll four dice and then add, subtract, divide or multiply the numbers shown to make a new number between one and 100. When you've got the new number, you find it on the colour-coded game board to earn money. Higher numbers earn more money, but there are also ways of earning bonuses. The set includes a game board, measuring 26 x 26 x 8cm, 200 counters, four dice, money, playing pieces and a cheat sheet, to help those who need it. Nubble is suitable for two to four players and is priced 15.
* Telephone 01869 363800
Rummikub is an old favourite and currently the third best-selling game in the world. The aim of Rummikub is to collect number tiles into groups or runs, in order to achieve the highest possible score. Suitable for two to four players of eight years old and upwards, this game is very simple to set up and learn, and can be played at a variety of levels. Rummikub is by Tomy and priced Pounds 14.99.
* Telephone 02380 662600
Darts has long been accepted as an aid to mental agility and is a sound way to encourage older children to indulge in a bit of mental maths when they are not in the mood to sit down to play games. Dowling Magnets' Magnetic Darts set uses the world's strongest magnets - Neodymium - and they have no sharp points or removable flights. The dartboard measures 30cm in diameter and has an integral loophole so the board can be hung on a suitable wall or door. The set comes with six darts in varying colours which are very entertaining in their own right, due to their magnetic qualities. They could also be used in science projects. Priced 11.99 from Mail Order Express.
* Telephone 08700 129090
