Adsumudi Little Ones plays exactly like classic Adsumudi but uses littler numbers, does not require × and ÷, and involves mental math with at most three numbers at a time. This makes Little Ones accessible and fun for the little ones!
Players race to find the secret math path to Adsumudi’s answer on each card by adding and subtracting the three other numbers. They keep the cards they figure out first and the first to collect three cards wins!
Each player first chooses their own difficulty level for the game. Adsumudi recommends that anyone who hasn’t played yet should start off on easy then gradually move up to hard. Players in the same game don’t necessarily have to play at the same difficulty.
Get started by placing the entire stack of cards in the center of the table. As the parent or teacher, you may want to stick around during game play to check that players are doing their math correctly.
At the same time, all players focus on the top card and try to create Adsumudi’s answer (the number in the center) using the three other numbers on that card. Numbers can only be used once each in a given equation, but players can use any combination of addition and subtraction they need.
If a player is playing on easy, they can use any two or more of the three numbers to make Adsumudi’s answer. When playing on hard, they have to use all three numbers.
For example, pretend that the three numbers on a card are 4, 8, and 2, and Adsumudi’s answer is 10. If a child is playing on easy, they could come up with 8 + 2. Or on hard, they could use 8 − 2 + 4. Note that both of these would be acceptable ways to make 10 for someone playing on easy since they have to use at least two numbers on easy, but can always use more if they want. However, they couldn’t use 8 + 2 on hard because it doesn’t use all three numbers, and they also couldn’t use 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 on either difficulty level because it uses numbers more than once.
Once any player finds an equation that works for their difficulty level, they should shout “Adsumudi!”. Doing so pauses the game and gives that player a chance to prove that the math works. If it checks out, the player takes the card and keeps it. Everyone then continues playing with the next card on the top of the deck.
If a player’s math doesn’t check out, there’s no penalty. Play continues until someone gets it right. Or if all players agree that a given card is too hard, simply put it at the bottom of the deck and move on to the next card on top.
The first player to collect 3 cards wins! Or for a longer game, play to 5!
New players often try to make Adsumudi’s answer by randomly combining the other numbers until they find something that works. But that takes a long time! Instead, they could try to work backwards from Adsumudi’s answer. For example, let’s say they were looking for the hard solution to a card where Adsumudi’s answer is 10 and the other numbers are 4, 8, and 2. Here’s a smart way to do it:
First, they could pick any one of the three numbers, say 4, and realize that to get from 4 to 10, they’ll need a 6 (by doing 4 + 6). So now all they have to do is make a 6 from the remaining two numbers, 8 and 2.
To do this, they can first try to combine these two numbers with addition, and then if that doesn’t work, subtraction. If one of those gives the number they need (in this case, 8 − 2 makes 6), they’re done! Then they just have to explain how they did it in one equation: 8 − 2 + 4.
Each card displays 1, 2, or 3 white stars at bottom. These indicate the card’s general difficulty level, where 1 star is the easiest and 3 stars is the hardest. If desired, you can use these to split the deck up for players of different mathematical abilities.
Stuck on a monstrous card? Get help here. It’ll give you step by step hints for any card and even show you full solutions if needed.
Instead of competing for each card, players can work together to find solutions. Simply choose easy or hard, then see how many cards they can get through as a team!
This wacky variant plays exactly like the main game, but here numbers can be used more than once, single digits can be combined to make double digits, and double digits can be separated to make single digits. For example, if the three numbers on a card were 16, 4, and 8, and Adsumudi’s answer were 12, players could make equations like 16 − 4 or 16 + 4 − 8 as usual, but also 4 + 4 + 4 or 8 + 8 − 4. They could even split the 16 into a 1 and a 6 to do 6 + 6 or 4 + 6 + 1 + 1, or use the 1 and 4 to make a 14 and do 14 − (6 − 4). There are no difficulty levels here, and players might even want to try work together to find the wackiest equation they can!
The Adsumudi Little Ones deck can also be used as flash cards for quick math practice. As the parent or teacher, simply show your child a card and let them take their time until they find the answer. Guide them along if needed, gently correcting mistakes and pointing them in the right direction.
Think your child’s math skills are outgrowing
Adsumudi
Little Ones?
Play endlessly online
or learn more about
Adsumudi classic,
Adsumudi Fun Ones,
and
Adsumudi Wild Ones
at
byevermade.com/adsumudi
