In our final maths input we looked at the maths linked to puzzles and games. There are many games in which maths is involved and I feel as though it is a great thing to bring into the classroom in order to engage children with maths in a fun and interesting way.

The first puzzle we spoke about in the input was sudoku. Even though sudoku may seem complicated to some children, if they were to play this game they would be putting basic maths principles to use, e.g. addition. Sudoku is extremely accessible and is a great way to get children doing some basic maths but having fun at the same time.

There are also many board games which include some mathematical principles. A stand out game in particular is monopoly. The game of monopoly is very much based on money, therefore in a game of monopoly the players are learning about how to spend money and the player who plays as the banker will also put mental maths to good use in order to distribute change correctly.
Another example is battleships, this game involves the concept of co-ordinates and so would be a great way for students who are learning about co-ordinates to consolidate their knowledge in a fun and engaging manner.

Using games and puzzles in connection with maths will definitely be something I will take forward into classes in the future as I feel more children would enjoy and feel comfortable with maths if they associated it with enjoyment and something they find fun.