guides
12 Dice Games for Kids with Just Two Dice
Try 12 dice games for kids aged 3 to 8, with clear rules for counting, adding and taking turns, plus a movement game to finish.
Which dice games can you play with two dice?
Easy dice games for kids include Six-number sweep for counting, Total showdown for adding, and Story dice for taking turns. These 12 games need no more than two ordinary dice, a pencil and paper. Pick something to practise, or head straight for Roll a pose when everyone's ready to move.
What do you need before the first roll?
Use ordinary six-sided dice, scrap paper and a pencil. These are short house-rule games for family play with ages 3 to 8, chosen by the counting or adding involved, not a birthday cutoff. You can share the pencil and paper.
- Count and compare: games 1 to 3.
- Add and subtract: games 4 to 8.
- Explain and take turns: games 9 to 11.
- Move together: game 12.
Supervise play and keep small dice away from under-3s, including younger siblings. RoSPA's toy safety advice covers small parts and following age warnings.
For a longer evening, pair one with our family game night ideas.
Shall we roll, count or make something up?
Start anywhere, and let a grown-up handle the writing if needed. The Department for Education's Development Matters guidance for England suggests counting games, familiar dice patterns and recording scores with dots or tallies. The rules below put those ideas into play.
1. Six-number sweep
Practise: matching dots and numbers. Each player writes 1 to 6 on their sheet. Say, "Roll one die, count the dots and cross out that number." A number already crossed out means no change; pass the die on.
The first person to cross out every number wins. For a shared challenge, use one sheet between you and take turns filling it. The disappearing numbers show exactly what's left.
2. Higher, lower, same
Practise: comparing quantities. Roll one die and leave it showing. Ask the next player, "Will the other die show more dots, fewer dots or the same?" They make their guess, then roll the second die.
Award one point for a correct prediction, including "same". Start afresh for each turn. After five turns each, the highest score wins; share a tied win. Nobody needs to add anything.
3. Monster doodle
Practise: counting out a quantity. Everyone draws a large blob on paper. Say, "Roll one die for eyes and the other for legs. Draw that many of each."
On the next turn, roll for teeth and arms; on the last, roll for spots and tufts of hair. Once everyone's creature is finished, give each one a name. There's no winner to choose.
4. Race to 20
Practise: keeping a running total. Start everyone's score at zero. Take turns rolling one die and adding its number to your own score. Say, "You had 7 and rolled 4. Where are you now?" The answer is 11.
Keep each new total on paper. The first player to reach or pass 20 wins, so there's no waiting for an exact finishing roll.
5. Total showdown
Practise: adding two groups. Each player rolls both dice once per round and adds the dots. Say, "Count yours, then let's compare totals." The largest total earns one point; tied players each receive a point.
Play five rounds, giving everybody a roll in each, then compare points. Share an overall tie. For a gentler start, count every dot together before trying to add the two numbers without counting them all.
6. Total bingo
Practise: matching a sum to a number. Draw the same grid for everyone: 4, 5, 6 across the top and 8, 9, 10 underneath. Take turns rolling both dice and adding them.
Say, "If the total's on your grid, cross it out." Only the player who rolled marks their grid. Missing or repeated totals do nothing. A completed horizontal row wins, but finish that round so everyone has equal turns; share the win if another player completes a row.
7. Ten or bust
Practise: adding and making a choice. Each player rolls both dice and adds them. A total above 10 scores zero. Otherwise, choose: keep that total, or roll one die once more and add its new number.
Say, "Will you stop or try another roll?" Going above 10 still scores zero. Record everyone's score over three rounds, then add those scores. The highest combined score wins; ties share the win.
8. Race down to zero
Practise: subtraction. Everyone starts at 20. Roll both dice and subtract the smaller number from the larger. Take that difference away from your running score.
Say, "A 6 and a 2 make a difference of 4, so 20 becomes 16." Matching dice give a difference of zero, so your score stays put. Take turns until someone reaches zero or below. That player wins.
9. Biggest number
Practise: tens and ones. Roll both dice and arrange them to make the largest two-digit number. Say, "You've rolled 2 and 5. Would you choose 25 or 52?" Here, 52 wins.
Each player gets a turn, and the largest number earns one point. Tied players each score. Play five rounds and compare points, sharing an overall tie. For another challenge, agree before starting that the smallest number wins instead.
10. Secret die
Practise: finding a missing number. The guesser looks away while the other player rolls both dice, works out the total and covers one die with their hand. The guesser can then look. Say, "The total is 9. You can see 4. What's hiding?"
The other player answers, then the hand lifts to reveal 5. Swap jobs after every puzzle. Stop once each person has set three puzzles. Play as partners, checking the answer together, with no points for speed.
11. Story dice
Practise: taking turns to contribute. Number two lists from 1 to 6. Characters: fox, robot, pirate, dragon, mouse, giant. Places: beach, kitchen, moon, forest, castle, train.
Roll one die for a character and the other for a place. Say, "Tell us what happens there." The next player rolls and adds a sentence to the same story using their new pair. After six turns altogether, the next storyteller supplies the ending without rolling.
12. Roll a pose
Practise: matching a number to an action. Number six familiar poses on paper. Take turns rolling one die, finding the matching pose and trying it together. Stop after everyone has rolled twice.
For an adding round, use a longer list numbered 2 to 12. Those are the possible totals of two ordinary dice, as NRICH's Two Dice task shows. Choose a final pose freely: adding two dice can't select 1, 13, 14 or 15.
How can you turn a few rolls into family time?
Choose one counting game and one change of pace, rather than working through the whole list. Decide the finish before you start, whether that's completing a creature or playing the agreed rounds. The same kit can stay on the table throughout.
- A first go: share a Six-number sweep sheet, then make a Monster doodle each. Keep the dice in the middle and pass the pencil between turns.
- Siblings doing different maths: share a Race to 20 score. One child counts a single die; the other adds it to the running total. Swap the rolling job each turn and celebrate reaching the target together.
- Ready to get up: finish Total showdown, then play Roll a pose. For a longer movement session, try our other games with yoga poses.
For pose choices already on the surface, explore our children's yoga mat. It has 15 numbered poses laser-engraved into it and is designed for ages 3 to 8. Use the single-die or adding rule above, then choose your finale freely.
What if the dice stay on the table?
Offer a choice between drawing a creature and telling a story, rather than another sum. Your child can also be the dice roller while you do the counting, or choose what the monster is called. There doesn't have to be a score to make it a game.
If being watched is the sticking point, draw alongside them rather than asking for an answer on every turn. If losing is the sticking point, share a sheet and aim for the same finish. And if none of it appeals, put the dice away. The unfinished monster can wait for another day.
Frequently asked questions
What is an easy dice game for young children?
Start with Six-number sweep. Write the numbers 1 to 6 on paper, roll one die and cross out the matching number. Repeated numbers mean you pass the die on. You can share a single sheet and work together, with a grown-up helping to count the dots.
Can you play games with just two dice and nothing else?
Yes. Higher, lower, same needs only the dice if you remember the score or play without points. Roll one die, predict whether the other will be higher, lower or the same, then roll it to check. Take turns making predictions, and agree a finishing point.
Which dice games can a child play alone?
Six-number sweep and Monster doodle both work alone. For Six-number sweep, count how many rolls it takes to cross out every number, then try again with a fresh sheet. For Monster doodle, roll and draw a whole creature collection. You don't need an opponent.
How can children of different ages play dice games together?
Use a shared roll with different jobs. One child can count the dots on a single die while another adds both dice or works out the difference. Swap the rolling and writing jobs, and use a shared target instead of a race when you want everyone on the same side.
