As part of a joint effort with earlyfamilymath.org to create a fun activity for high school kids to teach to pre-K through 2nd graders at math nights (more on that later), I’ve been working on a free, cheap-to-produce, print-and-play math game.

It’s rolling out at the EFM website, and I’m making it available here as well. I’m quite happy with how it turned out!

To play, just download the file and print the board on two standard 8.5″ by 11″ sheets of paper (or card stock), then tape them together. You’ll need one or two dice, and for young kids who aren’t ready for counting games yet, you can use dice with colored sides (i.e., here).

The game can be learned in about a minute.

Download the board and instructions here. If you try it, email me or leave a comment here to let me know what you think!

FIVE FLAGS PEAK

For 2 – 4 players.

It’s a race to the top! You’ve rowed your boat to the beach, and now it’s time to race up the mountain. Collect all five flags and reach the top to win. But be careful – your opponents are right on your heels, and they can steal flags from you if they catch up!

It will take luck and skill to be the first one to reach the summit of FIVE FLAGS PEAK!

Materials.

You’ll need four colors of pawns (ideally orange, red, yellow, and green), and five small counters per player, to cover up the flag icons in each player’s backpack. You’ll also need 1 – 2 dice. Number dice are fine for older players, but younger players should use dice like these, with colors red, blue, green, yellow, orange, and one more color, which is the wild color.

We’ll assume the wild color is purple in these instructions.

Rules.

Each player chooses a color and places their pawn at one of the rowboats on the outside of the map.

Take turns rolling and moving. You must move to a circle on the ring you’re currently on.

Moving rules for players who don’t yet count.

• Roll the die and move to the closest circle of the color you rolled in either direction..
• You may choose which direction to move.
• If you roll purple, you may move to any circle on the ring you’re currently on.

Moving rules for players who are beginning to count.

• Roll the die and move as many spaces as you rolled.
• You may choose which direction to move.
• If you roll a six, you may move to any circle on the ring you’re currently on.

Moving rules for players who are experienced at counting.

• Roll two dice and move either direction with first one die, then the other.
• This effectively lets you move the sum or difference of the numbers you rolled, in either direction.
• If you roll doubles, you may move to any circle on the ring you’re currently on.

Special Spaces and Situations

FLAGS.

If you land on a space with a flag, you may put that flag into your backpack. Indicate you have the flag by placing a counter over the appropriately colored flag image in your backpack.

BRIDGES.

If you land on a bridge, you may ascend (or descend) to a higher (or lower) ring of the mountain, following the path of the bridge. You do not have to cross a bridge if you’d prefer not to.

ZIP LINES

If you land on a zip line, you must descend to a lower ring of the mountain, following the path of the zip line. Zip lines lead to flags, so taking zip lines down may be the quickest way to pick up some colors of flags.

STEALING FLAGS

If you land on the same circle as an opponent, you may steal one of their flags. You may only steal a flag of a given color if you do not already have that flag in your backpack. You may steal no more than one flag per turn. You do not steal a flag if you start your turn on the same space as an opponent.

WINNING THE GAME

The first player to collect all five flags and reach the summit wins!

© Copyright Math for Love and Early Family Math 2025