How to play Dicey Decisions Digit Roller
- Set up: draw four boxes in a row on paper and label them Thousands, Hundreds, Tens and Ones. A digit stays where you write it, with no rubbing out.
- Largest Number: a digit is rolled. Write it in one of your boxes. Do this four times, then read your number. The biggest number wins the round.
- Closest to the Target: use the Target number panel to show a target, then roll four digits. Make a number, then work out the difference from the target. The smallest gap wins.
- Nice or Nasty (pairs): take turns. Keep the rolled digit, or give it to your partner, who must write it in any empty box. When both players have four digits, the larger number wins.
- Team Rank (teams of four): the target is 9,999. Decide who will finish first, second, third and fourth, then share out the digits to make that order.
Maths skills this game builds
- Place value: why a digit is worth more in a higher box
- Comparing and ordering four-digit numbers
- Subtraction: finding the difference from a target
- Probability: how likely is the next digit to be bigger?
- Strategy and reasoning aloud
Tips for parents and carers
- All you need is the roller, paper and a pencil. No dice or cards to find.
- Ask “Why did you put the 8 there?”. The reasoning is the learning.
- Change to 3 digits for younger children, or 5 digits for a stretch.
- Without a screen, use playing cards 0 to 9 (ace as 1, ten as 0) drawn from a pile and put back.
Using Dicey Decisions Digit Roller with a group or class
- Share one screen with the roller on it, so everyone has the same digits. Children write each digit before the next is rolled.
- Pairs and teams in breakout rooms need their own digit source: a second device with the roller, or ten paper slips marked 0 to 9, drawn one at a time and put back.
- Use the tally chart to start a conversation about probability: every digit is equally likely, but small samples look uneven.
- Start with Largest Number, then Closest to the Target. Try Team Rank only after both.
Frequently asked questions
Is the roller fair?
Yes. Each roll gives a digit from 0 to 9 at random, and every digit is equally likely.
How many digits per round?
Choose 3, 4 or 5 digits. Four is standard.
Can I use it without a screen?
Yes. Use cards numbered 0 to 9, or ten paper slips drawn from a bag and put back.