In the early elementary years, one method to make learning stick is to use games. Ten Fish by Absolute Zero is a fun spin on the traditional game of Go Fish. The game covers several mathematical concepts and is fun for the whole family.

When playing the game, each person is to look for sets of ten (or in other words, ten fish.) The game is played by taking turns and asking for cards needed to equal a total of ten. Each card has numbers with ten frames and fish representing the number. Every player works toward combining two or more cards to make a ten, and the player with the most sets of tens wins.

The game includes rules on playing and a 'contents' list to be used towards additional game ideas. One fun way that our family used this was in figuring out the total number of sets that were possible with specific numbers. For example, I would ask, "How many pairs will make six?" or "How many groups of seven will make twenty-one"? This spin on the game made it more of a challenge for my first and third graders. It allows children to take the numbers further and strengthen their understanding of addition and early multiplication.

Ten Fish is easy to pick up and play, even for the youngest learners. My girls understood the ten frame and early math skills after playing only a few times. The game helped with addition and was easy enough for preschool ages to join right along and have fun!

-Product review by Crystal Wright, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, January 2021