Multiplication Facts “War” Card Game

What’s Included in the Multiplication War Card Games

This set of multiplication war cards has 15 different decks, so you can match the game to exactly where your kids are.

• 12 fact family decks (Sets 1 to 12): one deck for each fact family from 1 to 12. Each deck has the multiplication facts (like 6 x 1 through 6 x 12) plus their products, so kids compare facts to facts, facts to numbers and numbers to numbers. Working on the 6s? Grab Set 6.
• Square numbers deck (Set 13): 1 x 1 through 12 x 12, plus their products.
• 2 mixed review decks (Sets 14 and 15): facts from different fact families shuffled together for more challenging practice.
• Deck labels and instruction cards: label a container for each deck and keep the rules right with the cards.

Not working on multiplying 11s and 12s yet? Just pull those cards out. It doesn’t change how the card game works at all.

Materials and Prep

Prep is quick, and once your multiplication war cards are made, they’ll last you for years.

• Card stock or paper
• Scrapbook paper (optional)
• Laminating supplies
• Paper cutter or scissors
• Small plastic containers or envelopes for storage

To prep: Print two copies of each deck you want to use. The decks are color coded, so they’re easy to keep straight.

Want more review? Print more copies!

Card stock or laminating will help the cards hold up to lots of enthusiastic flipping. (And trust me, there will be some serious competition.)

Cut the playing cards apart and store each deck in its own labeled container or envelope so the 4s don’t end up mixed in with the 9s.

Teacher tip: Print the Multiplication “War” cards on the white side of scrapbook paper. Kids can’t see through the cards, and every deck gets a fun, colorful back.

Multiplication War Rules: How to Play

The rules for Multiplication “War” are the same as the classic “War” card game, so most kids pick it up in about 30 seconds.

1. Shuffle the deck and split it evenly between two players.
2. Each player keeps their cards face down in a stack.
3. At the same time, both players flip over their top card.
4. Solve any multiplication fact cards. The card with the greater value wins, and that player puts both cards at the bottom of their pile.
5. Tie? That means WAR! Each player places three cards face down, then flips a fourth card. The highest value takes the whole pile.
6. Keep playing until time is up or one player runs out of cards. The player with the most cards at the end wins!

Teacher Tip: I like to have kids say their multiplication fact out loud as they flip (“6 times 7 is 42!”). It slows the game down just enough to make sure everyone is actually solving and not just guessing which card looks bigger.

Why Multiplication War Builds Fact Fluency

It looks like just a card game (shh, don’t tell them), but there’s some serious multiplication practice happening every time those cards flip.

• Fast recall: Kids see the same multiplication facts over and over, and they want to solve them quickly to win the round. That repetition is exactly what builds automatic recall.
• Comparing numbers: Deciding whether 6 x 7 beats 40 sneaks in comparing practice and kids start to see how facts and products connect.
• Built-in checking: When players solve every fact card out loud, kids naturally check each other’s math. (Nobody lets a wrong answer slide when the cards are on the line!)
• Low pressure: A game feels a lot less scary than a timed test, so kids who freeze up on their times tables often relax and do better.
• Social skills: Taking turns, following rules and winning (or losing) gracefully all come along for the ride.

Once kids know their facts without counting on their fingers, bigger math, like division, fractions and multi-digit multiplication, gets so much easier.

Differentiate the Multiplication War Game

With 15 decks of multiplication war cards to choose from, it’s easy to meet every kid right where they are. Here are a few more ways to adjust the game.

Simplify

• Start with the easiest fact families (1s, 2s, 5s and 10s) before moving on.
• Keep a multiplication chart on the table so kids can check their answers.
• Give each player a handful of counters or a whiteboard to draw arrays and work out tricky facts.
• Play cooperatively first: flip together and solve each fact as a team before playing to win.

On-Level

• Use the multiplication fact family deck that matches what you’re working on in math time this week.
• Have kids say the full multiplication fact out loud every time they flip.
• Ask the winner of each round to explain how they know their card is worth more.

Add a Challenge

• Switch to Set 13 (square numbers) or the mixed review decks in Sets 14 and 15.
• Play with a one-minute timer and count how many rounds you can finish.
• Flip two cards each and add their values together. The highest total wins.
• Have kids write a matching division fact for every card they win.

More Multiplication War Games to Try

Once your crew has the basic Multiplication “War” game down, mix things up with one of these.

• Three-player War: Divide the deck three ways. The highest value takes all three cards.
• Lowest wins: Flip the rules so the smallest value takes the round. It’s surprisingly hard to switch your brain!
• Speed round: The first player to call out the value of both cards wins the pile.
• Match it up: Lay one deck face up and match each multiplication fact card to its product card. Then, race to put the pairs in order from smallest to largest.
• Take it home: Send a deck home for family game night. Parents love an easy way to help with times tables practice at home. (And the kids love beating their parents.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Thanks for being awesome!

-Kim

More Math War Card Games

If your kids love this one, keep the battles going with these:

• Division War
• Decimal Place Value War
• Large Number Place Value War
• Fraction War
• Upper Elementary Math War Bundle

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