Different Rules:

• Start at 10 and count down to a target number of 0.
• Skip-count by 10s, with a target number of 100.
• Let players count up as many as 4 numbers on a turn, with a target number of 50.
• Choose two numbers randomly (e.g. by rolling dice, or using the players' ages, or picking two numbers from the license plate on the car in front of you) and allow players to choose which of the two numbers to add on a turn. Adjust the target number up appropriately to, say, 50. It may not be possible to reach the target number exactly, so a player can win by reaching or surpassing the target number.

More Players:

Any of these versions can also be played with more players. Take turns. The player who says the target number wins.

Strategic Thinking:

After playing several rounds, see if young players notice at which point they know who will win. In the example above, Player B loses by saying 8 (since Player A is then able to say 9, 10), but Player B also would have lost if they had said 8, 9 (since Player A could have then said 10). That means that when Player A says 7, their win is already guaranteed! Noticing this allows players to change their focus from "I need to say 10" to "I need to say 7." Can kids figure out what number they should aim to say in order to guarantee they will be able to say 7?

Here's the answer: Since this version allows players to count up by 1 or 2 numbers on a turn, the "winning" numbers occur in multiples of 3 less than the target number. Whoever says 4 is guaranteed to be able to say 7, and is then guaranteed to be able to say 10. Similarly, whoever says 1 is guaranteed to be able to say 4. That means that Player A is always guaranteed a win if they play correctly!

After kids have figured out the version above, see if they can determine who will win some of the variations listed above. For example, who can guarantee a win if players can count up by as many as 4 on a turn with a target number of 50? (In this case, Player B can guarantee a win by counting up to each multiple of 5 on their turn.)