Nim is a traditional, simple, quick, and fun combinatorial game using a stack of counters. Nim looks deceptively easy, but it exercises kids' logic and reasoning skills. Entire articles have been written about the mathematical theories behind Nim strategy, but you need not delve into that when you just want a no-prep and fun distraction.
Nim is a good early math game that supports addition and subtraction skills. I played a few rounds with my soon-to-be 5th grader and he enjoyed beating me (ahem). But then, my knowledge of mathematical theory is not what it used to be, ha ha ha.
How to play Nim
Nim can be played in various ways and with different quantities. I've chosen a simple version to share with you. We also like to call this game, "counting down."
Materials
- 11 stackable counters. 10 in one color and 1 in a different color. We used black and white poker chips, (affiliate link) which are extremely handy if you play a lot of DIY games at home. You can also use checkers, coins, or even flat blocks.
- 2 enthusiastic players
Objective
Force your opponent to pick up the black (the last) chip.
Rules:
- Stack the white chips on top of the black chip.
- Determine who will go first.
- Taking turns, players picks up 1, 2 or 3 chips from the top of the stack.
- Whoever is left with the last chip loses.
Watch the video to see the game in action:
It's that simple!
Tips and Tricks
TIP: You don't need different color chips for Nim. You can play with 11 chips and whoever is stuck with the last one, loses.
TIP: After 1 or 2 rounds, kids will learn that in order to win they need to leave 4 white counters on top of the black one. If they are able to do that, it becomes impossible for their opponent to win. This will lead to some strategizing and you can start to vary the game rules to tickle their little brains even more (see below for some variation suggestions).
A few questions to ask your kids while they play "counting down":
Is it better to go first or second?
What quantity of white chips do you ultimately want to leave on top of the black one so your opponent can't force you to pick up the black chip?
What happens if you play with 11 white chips and 1 black chip instead? (Try it!)
What happens if you can only remove 1 or 2 chips instead of up to 3? (Try it!)
Benefits of Playing Nim
What are kids learning?
- Counting backwards practices the skills needed for subtraction.
- They are learning to think strategically.
- They are using their reasoning skills.
- They are learning to plan ahead (games like this build executive function).
This post is part of our Camp Mathematics series, an easy, free summer camp curriculum based on having fun while boosting math skills.
More math games to play:
Lise says
Love this idea and am eager to try it with my daughter--thanks!
I'm finding it very hard to read, though, because the post keeps automatically readjusting itself on the screen so that the video ad is at the top. In fact, it's flipped up to it three times (four!) just in the time it's taken me to type this comment. Ugh! Anything you can (five!) do to stop that? I love your blog but would sto (six!) stop reading it over that. 🙁
Erica MomandKiddo says
Lise, I am so sorry! Those kind of ads are supposed to be blocked but once in a while one sneaks in. I agree with you, they are extremely annoying!!!! One thing you can do if you come across one here or on another website is to reload the page, that will make different ads come up in the space. Once again, I am sorry, but thank you for taking the time to tell me so I can try to get that one blocked, too.
Lise says
Thanks, Erica. I don't want to be a grump. I really enjoy reading your blog!
Lise says
p.s. it's gone today; hooray! I will try the reload trick next time I encounter something like that.
Jen says
Simple and engaging. My 7 year old enjoyed this game. I was able to sit down and play while also teaching her something. It didn't take too long and was rewarding for us both. She now has a trick and always leaves 4 chips on her 2nd to last turn! LOL. Thank you so much for the post.
Erica MomandKiddo says
I'm glad it worked out for you. I love finding simple but effective activities.