Place value card games that get kids excited about comparing numbers! This Place Value War set is played like the classic card game "War," but every card shows a number. Partners flip, compare and the greater number wins the round.

Students read and compare numbers to 999, paying attention to the hundreds place, tens place and units (ones) place, while using math language like greater than, less than and equal to. With fifteen game levels, from single digits to look-alike numbers such as 717 and 771, differentiation is simple, predictable and stress-free.

With these place value card games, you get

• 15 game levels for comparing numbers to 999
• Levels that move from single digits, teens and tens to 3-digit numbers
• Deck labels for easy storage
• Kid-friendly directions printed on the cards

Print, shuffle and your place value center is ready to play!

What's Included

• Levels 1-3, numbers to 100: single digits 0-9, teen numbers with a constant tens digit and multiples of ten
• Levels 4-8, close tens and similar ones: numbers such as 54 and 45, or sets like 33, 35, 43 and 45
• Levels 9-13, mixed 2- and 3-digit numbers where one small change flips the result
• Levels 14-15, numbers to 999 with look-alike digits, such as 117, 771 and 717
• Deck labels for easy storage
• Kid-friendly directions printed on the cards
• Teacher tips for printing on card stock or patterned paper so the cards are not see-through
• Ideas for using the same decks for ordering, number talks and quick assessments

Why Teachers Love It

• A game students already know: Most children know how to play War, so they can put their energy into the math.
• One resource for many levels: Fifteen levels let you meet kindergarten through 2nd grade learners where they are.
• Lots of practice in a short time: Every flip is another number comparison, so rounds are short and full of repetition.
• Easy prep and storage: Deck labels keep each level ready to grab for centers and small groups.
• More than one game: Use the same decks for ordering, sorting, number talks and quick checks.

Skills Students Practice

Primary Academic Skills

• Comparing numbers: Students compare numbers to 999 and decide which is greater.
• Place value: Students look at the hundreds place, tens place and units place to see how the position of a digit changes its value.
• Reading multi-digit numbers: Look-alike numbers help students slow down and read every digit accurately.
• Math vocabulary: Students use words like digit, place, value, greater than, less than and equal.
• Explaining their thinking: Students tell which place decided the winner of each round.

Secondary Life & Learning Skills

• Taking turns
• Following directions
• Using mathematical language
• Maintaining attention
• Communicating choices
• Working independently

How to Use It

Step 1: Print the level you need on card stock and laminate for long-term center use. Cut the cards apart and store each deck with its label.

Step 2: Deal the cards evenly to players, face down. Everyone flips their top card at the same time and compares using place value language. The higher value wins the round and collects both cards.

Step 3: If the cards tie, it's War! Each player places two cards face down, then flips a third. The highest value wins the pile. Keep playing until time is up or a player runs out of cards. The player with the most cards wins.

Easy Differentiation

Children come to place value at very different stages. Fifteen levels make it easy to give every pair the right deck.

For Children Who Need More Support

• Start with Levels 1-3 (single digits, teens and tens)
• Have students model each number with base-ten blocks or drawings
• Read each number aloud together before comparing
• Play in teams so partners can talk through each comparison

For On-Level Practice

• Use Levels 4-8 to compare numbers such as 54 and 45
• Have students state each comparison aloud in a complete sentence
• Sort cards by the same hundreds, the same tens or the same ones
• Make several copies of a level so more pairs can play at once

For an Extra Challenge

• Use Levels 14-15 with look-alike 3-digit numbers
• Draw five cards and arrange them from least to greatest
• Flip a card and write it in standard form and expanded form
• Use a timer for quick comparison sprints

For Speech, OT, ELL or Special Education Support

• Practice math words such as hundreds, tens, ones, greater than and less than
• Use a sentence frame such as "___ is greater than ___ because ___."
• Reduce the deck size for shorter games
• Model a few rounds and give extra processing time

Perfect For

• Math centers
• Partner games
• Small groups
• Early finishers
• Number talks
• Quick assessments
• Substitute plans
• Homeschool

Standards

These place value card games support kindergarten through 2nd grade standards in Common Core, the TEKS (Math, adopted 2012) and the Virginia Math SOL (2023):

Common Core State Standards

• CCSS K.NBT.A.1: Compose and decompose numbers from 11 to 19 into ten ones and some further ones, as in the teen number levels.
• CCSS 1.NBT.B.3: Compare two two-digit numbers based on the meanings of the tens and ones digits.
• CCSS 2.NBT.A.1: Understand that the three digits of a three-digit number represent hundreds, tens and ones.
• CCSS 2.NBT.A.4: Compare two three-digit numbers based on the meanings of the hundreds, tens and ones digits.

Texas TEKS

• TEKS Math 1.2.E: Use place value to compare whole numbers up to 120 using comparative language.
• TEKS Math 2.2.D: Use place value to compare and order whole numbers up to 1,200 using comparative language, numbers and symbols.

Virginia SOL

• VA SOL Math 1.NS.2: Describe the tens and ones in a two-digit number and compare two numbers between 0 and 120.
• VA SOL Math 2.NS.2.g: Compare two whole numbers, each 999 or less, using words and symbols. Students justify their reasoning.

Add the Place Value Card Games: War! to your cart and bring instant engagement to your math block. Pick a level, deal the cards and watch your students build place value understanding with every flip!

Download Details

Please note: This is a digital download that will be available to you directly after purchase. Nothing will be mailed to you.

You will receive a link to the download in three places

1. On the 'thank you' page after checkout
2. In your email
3. Login on the site here: https://lifeovercsstore.com/account