Place Value Race: a place value game
Find a digit’s value, read expanded form or find 10 more and less to speed up your car. A free place value game for any device. Grades 1–4.
🧒 Kids: Find the value of the red digit, or the number, and tap the answer to make your car zoom! Beat the 3 computer cars to the 🏁 flag.
How to play
- Choose the questions (value of a digit, expanded form, 10 more and 10 less, or a mix) and a speed: Easy, Medium or Hard.
- Press Start the race. A question appears under the track with three answers to choose from.
- Work it out and tap the answer. Every right answer moves your car forward.
- A wrong answer stalls your engine for a moment and shows the right answer.
- 15 right answers reach the flag. Beat the three computer cars to win!
What your child practices
Place value at speed. Children find what a digit is worth in numbers up to 99,999 (2.NBT.A.1, 4.NBT.A.1), turn expanded form like 400 + 7 back into a number (2.NBT.A.3), and find 10 or 100 more or less in their heads (1.NBT.C.5, 2.NBT.B.8). One wrong answer is always the classic mistake, such as giving the digit instead of its value, or squashing 400 + 7 into 47. The results screen lists every missed question with its answer.
Which setting to choose
| Setting | Example | Good for | Learn it first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value of a digit | the red 5 in 4,507 | Grades 2–4 | place value and face value |
| Expanded form | 600 + 30 + 2 = | Grades 2–3 | expanded form |
| 10 more, 10 less | 10 more than 395 | Grades 1–2 | 10 more and 10 less |
| Mix of all | any of the above | Grades 2–4 | place value for kids |
Grade 1 and 2 children should start with 10 more and 10 less, then expanded form. Grade 3 and 4 children can go straight to the value of a digit and the mix.
Once your child can finish the mixed race on Medium without stalling, check with the place value quiz.
Tips for parents
- Start on Easy. Move up a speed when your child wins twice in a row.
- If “digit instead of value” answers cause stalls, ask your child to name the place out loud: “the 5 is in the hundreds, so 500”.
- For expanded form, ask “which place is empty?” before your child taps. Empty places need a 0.
- Your best time for each setting is saved on this device. Racing your own best is the real goal.
- Three races a day, about 5 minutes, is plenty.
In the classroom
Put it on the projector and let children call out the answer as a class. Or have them race on tablets with the same settings and compare finishing times. No logins, and no data leaves the device.
More place value games and practice
Games: Place Value Match · Place Value Bingo · all place value games · Place Value Pirates · addition games · all math games
Print it: the place value worksheet, the tens and ones worksheet and the expanded form worksheet, with answer keys, for practice away from the screen.
Practice: place value practice · place value calculator · place value quiz · place value levels
Last reviewed
Questions parents ask
How do you play Place Value Race?
Find the value of the red digit, the number from expanded form, or 10 more or less, and tap the answer to move your car. 15 correct answers reach the finish. Beat the three computer cars to win.
What is in this place value game?
The value of a digit in numbers up to 99,999, expanded form back to standard form, and 10 or 100 more or less.
Is Place Value Race free?
Yes. It is free, has no ads inside the game and needs no account.
What grade is this place value game for?
Grades 1 to 4. Grade 1 starts with 10 more and 10 less; grades 3 and 4 can play the value of a digit.
Does it work on phones?
Yes. The answers are big buttons, so it works well on phones and tablets as well as computers.