Number Games with Dice Cards

  • 10
  • 30
  • 60
Time

Activity Details

Benefits

  • Celebrate Achivement
  • Keep Learning
  • Time Together

Participants

  • Group Activity

What you need

  1. 1 or 2 sets of Home Made Dice Cards - numbered 1 - 6
  2. 4 cards with maths symbols (+, x, ÷, *)
  3. A board game

Intro

Rolling and reading a dice can be a struggle for some people living with dementia. But using numbered cards can make it much easier,  as they replace a traditional dice. You can make a set of Dice Cards simply and quickly, if you can source a pack of blank cards, playing card size,  and then write the numbers on them large and clearly.  Just pick one of the Dice Cards – numbered one to six – to keep enjoying dice-based games.

Cards can be easier to read and less likely to roll off the table and under a chair! And the cards can even be played on their own.

 

    The Activity

    Dice Card game: Pairs (Level 3 for 2-3 players)

    1. Shuffle the cards and lay them face down on the table
    2. Ask the first person to turn over two cards
    3. If the numbers match, great – they keep that pair
    4. If they don’t match, put them back face down in exactly the same place
    5. Let everyone have a chance to match the pairs in turn until there are no cards left
    6. The winner is the person with the most pairs

    Dice Card game: Sums (Level 4 for up to 4 people)

    1. Lay the cards face down on the table
    2. Lay the maths symbols face down away from the number cards
    3. Get each person to take it in turns to choose two number cards and one maths symbol card
    4. Lay the cards out as a sum (e.g. 3 x 5)
    5. Ask that person to complete the sum
    6. Give each person a point for every correct answer
    7. Put the cards back face down in any order
    8. Once each person has had five or six goes, add up the scores and declare the person with the highest score the winner!

    Playing games using Dice Cards (Level 2, 3 or 4 depending on game)

    1. Play the board game with its instructions
    2. People can either choose the Dice Cards when they’re spread out face down on a table or when they’re fanned out in someone’s hand. Choose whichever method is easier for each person
    3. If you wish to introduce the method of “throwing a double”, use two sets of cards