Playing classic African board games such as I'tche, Oware, Omweso, Ayo, and Tsoro facilitates mathematical learning¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

Reading the evidence codes

q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.

This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.

q2 i? Gameplay in mancala-family and strategy games engages players in arithmetic operations, counting, probability relationships, and other mathematical concepts. → Rebecca Y. Bayeck 2026 q2 i? Playing Tsoro can increase children's mathematics performance, per the review's report of Magonziwa (2017). → Rebecca Y. Bayeck 2026 (2)

Evidence¶

Rebecca Y. Bayeck 2026¶

Rebecca Y. Bayeck. (2026). Exploring learning in classic African board games: a review of recent literature. Education Tech Research Dev. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-026-10733-9

q2 · i? · review · r2

The review reports, citing Abah (2018), that I'tche of the Orokam people in Nigeria engages players in "basic arithmetic operations" plus problem-solving, critical thinking, anticipation, and spatial perception that aid mathematics.

"As a strategic game, playing the game engaged players in basic arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication."

Rebecca Y. Bayeck 2026 (2)¶

Rebecca Y. Bayeck. (2026). Exploring learning in classic African board games: a review of recent literature. Education Tech Research Dev. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-026-10733-9

q2 · i? · review · r2

The review attributes to Magonziwa (2017), an empirical dissertation on Tsoro in Zimbabwe, the finding that counting, numeracy, addition, matrices, subtraction, and angles are embedded in the game and that play can increase children's performance.

"Playing Tsoro can increase children's performance, and teachers need to integrate this game into the teaching and learning of mathematics (Magonziwa, 2017)."

Discussion¶

Classic African board games function as learning spaces where multidomain learning occurs — a broader claim this one bears on
Number Board Games Improve Numerical Knowledge — related
Bao gameplay is linked to economic decision-making and entrepreneurial skills — related
Playing mathematical board games at school significantly improved 3rd-grade students' ability to solve additive-change (transformation) problems — a narrower finding that bears on this claim

Page metadata

Field	Value
`status`	`review`
`generated`	by `process:wiki-ingest` on `2026-10-29`
`trust`	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content

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