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Addition or Multiplication BATTLE!

STEM2 min read

An inclusive game to practise addition and multiplication tables.

Written by Anne-Lyse Brevart

Jun. 26. 2023

Teenagers, a girl and a boy, are playing "battle" with LEGO Braille Bricks, a numeracy activity.

Anne-Lyse Brevart is a special needs teacher, herself blind. After completing her special education training, she decided to use her skills and experience to propose educational tools and tactile objects. Today, she presents her trick to help children learn multiplication and addition tables.


Whether they are sighted or blind, learning multiplication or addition tables is a real struggle for many children. So, since "playing is learning", we might as well turn some sources of conflict into playful moments. That's why I've created a card game that is played like the traditional "battle card game", with 2 players.

Addition is written in braille on cards and in black so that blind and sighted people can play together. The right corner of the label is cut off to make orientation easier.
  • Write addition or multiplication in braille on cards.

  • Copy the operation in black so that blind and sighted people can play together.

  • The children calculate and compare their sums to see who takes the card.

  • The first to have all the cards wins.

The right corner of the label is cut off to make orientation easier. The teacher can prepare all the tables in this way and decide which level or table to check. The result is quite convincing, I have even seen children playing in the playground!

To allow the students to play alone, I made the same labels, but this time with the answer on the back. We decide on a number of cards to take. We read the operation. The student gives the result. We or the child looks at the back of the card. If the answer is correct, the card is removed from the deck. If the result is wrong, the card is put back in the pile. And so on until there are no more cards in the pile.

Students can also play a regular battle with LEGO Braille bricks to practise braille and arithmetic. Watch Carla playing with Ryan.

Read the complete LEGO Braille Bricks battle activity.

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