7 Easy Dice Games for Kids, Families and Parties

Dice games need almost nothing: a few dice, a pencil and someone to play with. And if the dice have gone missing, the free online dice roller rolls one to six dice and adds up the total for you. Here are seven easy dice games for families, classrooms and parties, from a one-die game for young children to Farkle for when you want something with more strategy.

1. Pig

1 die, 2 or more players, ages 6 and up. Pig is the simplest push-your-luck game there is, and a great way to practise adding.

1. On your turn, roll the die as many times as you like, adding each roll to your turn total.
2. If you roll a 1, your turn total drops to zero and your turn ends.
3. You can stop ("hold") at any time and add your turn total to your score.
4. The first player to reach 100 wins.

Variation: Two-Dice Pig. Roll two dice; a single 1 wipes the turn total, and double 1s wipe your whole score.

2. Beat That

2 or 3 dice, any number of players, ages 5 and up. A favourite in classrooms because it teaches place value without anyone noticing.

1. Roll two dice and arrange them to make the biggest number you can. A 3 and a 5 make 53.
2. Say "Beat that!" and pass to the next player, who tries to make a bigger number.
3. The biggest number wins the round. Play five rounds.

Variation: use three dice for hundreds, or try to make the smallest number instead.

3. Going to Boston

3 dice, 2 or more players, ages 7 and up. Also called Yankee Grab. Fast, simple and good for practising sums.

1. Roll all three dice and set aside the highest one.
2. Roll the other two and set aside the higher one.
3. Roll the last die. Add up all three dice.
4. The highest total wins the round. The best possible score is 18.

Play to an agreed number of rounds, or give a point to each round winner and play to five points.

4. Ship, Captain and Crew

5 dice, 2 or more players, ages 8 and up. A pub and campfire classic with a neat twist: you need a 6, a 5 and a 4, in that order.

1. You get up to three rolls. Roll all five dice.
2. You must find a 6 (the ship) before you can keep a 5 (the captain), and a 5 before you can keep a 4 (the crew). Set them aside as they come and roll the rest.
3. Once you have ship, captain and crew, the two remaining dice are your cargo. Their total is your score. You may use any rolls you have left to try for more cargo.
4. No ship, captain and crew after three rolls means a score of zero. Highest score wins the round.

5. Farkle (basic rules)

6 dice, 2 or more players, ages 8 and up. Farkle has many house rules. These are the common basics.

1. Roll all six dice. Each 1 scores 100 and each 5 scores 50. Three of a kind scores 100 times the number (three 4s = 400), except three 1s, which score 1,000.
2. After each roll you must set aside at least one scoring die. Then either bank your points or roll the remaining dice.
3. If a roll has no scoring dice, that is a "farkle": you lose the points from this turn.
4. If all six dice score, you may roll all six again. The first player to 10,000 wins.

Agree on the scoring before you start; many families add bonuses for a straight or three pairs.

6. Shut the Box on paper

2 dice, 1 or more players, ages 6 and up. The wooden box is optional. Write the numbers 1 to 9 on paper.

1. Roll two dice and add them up.
2. Cross out any numbers that add up to the total. A roll of 8 could cross out 8, or 5 and 3, or 6 and 2, or 1, 3 and 4.
3. Keep rolling. When 7, 8 and 9 are all crossed out, you may roll just one die.
4. When you cannot cross out the total, your turn ends. Add up the numbers left: that is your score. Lowest score wins, and crossing out everything ("shutting the box") is an instant win.

7. Bunco (simple version)

3 dice, 4 or more players in pairs, ages 8 and up. A social game that works for big groups, family gatherings and parties.

1. There are six rounds. In round 1 the target number is 1, in round 2 it is 2, and so on.
2. On your turn, roll three dice. Score one point for each die that shows the target number, and keep rolling while you score.
3. Three of the target number at once is a "Bunco" and scores 21 points.
4. When a team reaches 21 points the round ends. The team with the most points at the end of six rounds wins.

Full Bunco nights move players between tables after each round; this simple version keeps everyone at one table.

Playing with the online dice roller

• Set the number of dice the game needs (1 to 6) and press Roll. The total is shown for you.
• Put a phone or tablet in the middle of the table and pass it round, or put it on a projector in class.
• Every die is rolled with your browser's cryptographic random number generator, so the rolls are fair.

Which game should you pick?

• Young children: Beat That or Pig, which practise numbers and adding.
• A quick round between other games: Going to Boston.
• Older children and adults: Ship, Captain and Crew or Farkle.
• Playing alone: Shut the Box.
• A big group: Bunco.

Curious why some totals come up more than others? Our guide to dice probability explains why 7 is the most common total with two dice, and the history of dice is in dice in the ancient world.

FAQ

What dice games can you play with one die?

Pig is the classic one-die game: roll as often as you like, but a 1 wipes out your turn total. First to 100 wins.

What is the easiest dice game for kids?

Beat That: roll two dice and arrange them into the biggest number you can. It needs no scoring sheet and teaches place value.

How many dice do you need for Farkle?

Six. A 1 scores 100, a 5 scores 50 and three of a kind scores 100 times the number, except three 1s which score 1,000.

Can I play dice games without dice?

Yes. An online dice roller can roll one to six dice at once and shows the total, so any of these games works on a phone or a classroom screen.