Dice Games · Est. 1795★★★★★ 150 reviews

The maths game that does not feel like maths

£17.99£25.99 Save 30%

or 4 payments of £4.49 with Klarna

🛡️ 30-day full refund, no questions. Fewer than 30 returns from 23,000+ orders.

Express · order today for next-day delivery

Standard · 2-3 working days

Teaches numbers fast
One or more players
Solid wood frame
No screen time
Ages 5 and up
Played for years
30-day returns
Klarna available

Delivery in 2-3 working days · 30-day returns · Est. 1795

as seen in

Real talk

Before they start reception, get ahead

You've noticed it. The four-year-old next to yours knew the number on the sign. Yours looked at you. Shut the Box closes that gap without tutors or flashcards. Every roll of the dice is a maths problem your child solves by playing, and they'll ask to play again tomorrow.

In 15 minutes, you've given your child more number work than a worksheet. And you get to sit at the table with them.

Joe Jaques, Jaques of London

What's in the box

What comes inside

One complete set, ready to play this weekend. No assembly. No batteries. No hidden pieces.

In the box

Wooden game frame

Solid wood, hand-finished and baize-lined. Polished frame sits flat on the table. Tray measures 30cm wide by 17.5cm deep. Built to last through siblings and eventually grandchildren.

✓ Solid wood construction
✓ Baize-lined interior
✓ Numbers 1 to 12 on hinged tiles

Child rolling dice over the wooden frame

In the box

Two timber dice

Weighty, proper dice. Not plastic. They roll true and feel like a real game. Your child will want to roll them again.

✓ 1.5cm solid dice
✓ Roll once per turn
✓ Add the numbers, then decide

Child lowering a hinged tile on the frame

Play style

One complete rulebook

Clear rules for ages 5 to 99. Explains classic play (race to shut all numbers), casual variants (for younger players), and solo modes. Playtime is 15 minutes once everyone knows the rules.

✓ Printed rules included
✓ Ages 5 and up
✓ Play solo or with others

Ordered by 2pm on a weekday, delivered within 5 working days

Was £25.99

Shut The Box - 12 Numbers Family Game: £17.99

While they play

What they're quietly learning

Looks like play. Works like a lesson.

🧮

Addition and subtraction

Every turn is a maths problem. Roll 7 total: cover 3 and 4, or 2 and 5, or 6 and 1. They work it out themselves.

🤔

Problem-solving

Which tiles to cover? There's no one right answer. They learn to weigh choices and spot patterns.

🎲

Probability

What will the dice show? Will I be able to close the box? They start to think about odds without the word maths.

📊

Number recognition

Every tile is a number they see, say, and use. No worksheet needed. They hit the numbers through play.

What families say about Jaques of London

What families say

★★★★★

"Excellent quality wood toys, so well made, no sharp edges, all lovely & smooth, very colourful & plenty of choice. Very reasonably priced & so beautifully wrapped you don't want to open them. Highly recommend this company."

Lynda Evans✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Fast delivery, excellent products, extremely good quality and long lasting. My granddaughter loves the toys from here. Good age ranges covered."

Danella Jones✓ Google review

★★★★★

"These toys tick all the boxes, educational, colourful, fun, well made and great service. I just keep buying more and more."

Irene Johnstone✓ Google review

★★★★★

"We love our toys from Jaques of London. The quality is excellent and they're the perfect size for little hands to hold and play with easily. Beautifully made, sturdy wooden toys that will last for years. Highly recommend!"

Tegan✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Harrods grade gifting for a very reasonable price. Not the usual tat from China. Had several hand picked orders fron Jaques, nice to know its a UK business with old school quality."

John A✓ Google review

★★★★★

"I am a real fan of this company. If only I had come across them years ago when my boys were little. It's my go to for beautiful, good quality toys for my granddaughter now and any gift I need to buy. They arrived quickly, prices are reasonable and the special touch is they are beautifully packaged too. I love the heritage of this business!"

Sarah Lardner✓ Google review

★★★★★ 4.8/5 rated by families across Google and Trustpilot: real reviews, quoted word for word

Get ready for life

Why real play matters

Real brain growth comes from real play.

Roll the dice

Two dice, one throw. Add the numbers. That's your total. Takes 3 seconds.

→

Cover the numbers

Flip down the tiles that add up to your roll. 5 rolled? Cover 2 and 3, or 4 and 1, or 5 alone. Their choice.

→

Shut the box

Cover all 12 numbers before the dice trap you. First player to close it, or lowest uncovered total, wins. Play again.

Why this matters right now

231 years Making games that stick Est. 1795. Over 100 million toys and games sold. Shut the Box arrived in the UK in the mid-20th century, and Jaques were among the first to manufacture it properly.

23,000+ Families playing right now Orders placed. Not from one big retailer. Real parents, real school gates, real maths gaps closed.

15 minutes A complete game Once they know the rules, one round is done in 15 minutes. Play twice before tea. Play it again tomorrow.

230 yrs of making things worth keeping Jaques of London has been crafting games and toys since 1795. This one is built to be handed down, not thrown out.

We really are different

Why Shut the Box beats the alternatives

	Jaques Shut The Box - 12 Numbers Family Game	Cheap Alternatives
Teaches real maths	✅	❌ Flashcards feel like work
No screen, no guilt	✅	❌ Apps feel like compromise
Built to last	✅	⚠️ Plastic snaps after 6 months
Solid wood, weighty	✅	❌ Cardboard box goes soft
Play together	✅	⚠️ Solo apps, no connection
One-time cost	✅	❌ Subscriptions add up
Real dice, real play	✅	⚠️ Spinning wheels feel cheap

Jaques

✅ Real maths
✅ No screen
✅ Lasts years
✅ Solid wood
✅ Sit together
✅ One cost
✅ Real dice

Cheap alternatives

❌ Flashcards
❌ Tablet time
⚠️ Plastic fails
❌ Card breaks
⚠️ Apps isolate
❌ Subscription
⚠️ Wheels cheap

Ordered by 2pm on a weekday, delivered within 5 working days

Was £25.99

Shut The Box - 12 Numbers Family Game: £17.99

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Not right? Return it within 30 days. Full refund, no questions.

Questions & answers

Questions before you order

Is this really the right game for a 4-year-old?

Yes, from age 5 up. Four-year-olds can play a simplified version (ignore the higher numbers, just roll and cover). By 5, they grasp the full game. Grandparents say it's made for bridging the gap before school starts. It grows with them: nine-year-olds still ask to play.

How long does a game take?

Fifteen minutes once everyone knows the rules. Learning the rules is a conversation the first time. After that, they'll want to play twice before tea. Solo play takes even less time if your child wants a quick round.

Will it hold up?

Yes. John A said: Not the usual tat from China. Solid wood, hand-finished. Returns are 30 days, no questions. Families tell us their children's friends ask to take it home. Karen Pepper wrote: Toys that don't break after five minutes of play. This is one of those.

Is this a gift, or a toy we'll actually play at home?

Both. Leigh Hemmings bought it for a birthday last minute: arrived next day, saved Christmas. It's the gift grandparents give because they know you'll thank them in six months when your child still wants to play. And you'll sit at the table with them while they do.

How much does it cost?

The Shut The Box - 12 Numbers Family Game is £17.99 today (down from £25.99). Klarna is available at checkout if you prefer to spread the cost.

What's your returns policy?

30 days, full refund, no conditions. Return it for any reason and we refund in full. We've been standing behind what we make since 1795.

Ordered by 2pm on a weekday, delivered within 5 working days

Was £25.99

Shut The Box - 12 Numbers Family Game: £17.99

Our story

Making toys worth keeping since 1795.

Jaques of London was founded in 1795. We invented croquet, table tennis, and the Staunton chess set. For 230 years, we've been making things that pull children away from passive entertainment and into active, curious, hands-on play.

Jaques has been making games since 1795. We made Shut the Box properly for the UK market in the mid-20th century, and we still make it the same way: solid wood, hand-finished, no shortcuts. It's not a flashcard disguised as play. It's a real game that teaches real maths because children will ask to play it again. That's the only proof that matters.

Toys and games that leave something behind: a skill, a memory, a piece of play that gets passed on.
Joe, Jaques of London

Ready when you are