Do you have memories of your elementary school days? How you would feel sleepy with the arrival of the math teacher in class. We would hardly blame you if this were you. Given how difficult math can be, there is a need for an entertaining way to make the ideas more engaging for children.
Thankfully, the exponential leap in technology has resulted in a plethora of math apps that enable practical interaction with mathematical ideas. If I had had access to these apps back then, I doubt I would have felt the need to hire a professional to do my math homework for me regularly. These apps make it easier to study by fusing math principles with games and flashcards, which speeds up learning.
Sadly, choosing the right alternative to lead your young math prodigy is difficult, given the diversity of math study apps available.
Continue reading to learn about five math applications that can make math more entertaining for your child while also enhancing their comprehension and retention of mathematical formulas and ideas.
1. Math vs Zombies
Who said that math wouldn’t come in handy in a zombie apocalypse? The world of math vs zombies sharpens your kid’s math skills by exposing them to the fun world of zombies. In this game, the child explores various math problems to gain energy to zap zombies back to humans.
This quest to redeem mankind goads your kid into math practice without making math study appear like a chore. Incorrect answers in the game compromise the zapping power and the player’s health, giving your child the drive to learn various concepts to avoid negative consequences.
The game features three difficulty levels; easy, medium, and hard, with each featuring reasonable challenges to avoid overwhelming your reader. Equally amazing is that the game features a boss level after every six levels in each zone (I.e., the addition zone, subtraction zone, multiplication, and division zones).
The gameplay narrative helps the learner to maintain focus and also to find quick solutions to various problems, including counting and card comparisons. We also recommend this game for your toddler as it is free of inappropriate content and any gory scenes that would upset your kids.
2. Prodigy math
Prodigy math is often touted as a great tool to have in your child’s math study arsenal. This app comprises a ton of interactive games that are aligned with the curriculum and can be used online or offline.
In this game, kids earn spells by solving math problems and get to do battle as they advance through various fantasy worlds. The key advantage of this game is the real-time reports that highlight the student’s performance, learning gaps, and usage reports. This information helps you identify the learner’s challenging areas, allowing you to offer the needed guidance.
Also, each quiz on the app offers insight into the solution, allowing the learner to manage the quizzes easily. The adaptive algorithm of the game ensures that a child is presented with a suitable level of challenge among the myriad of questions testing on over 1200 math concepts.
Your learner can also play with friends, therefore, getting their adrenaline rushing in a bid to outshine their counterparts.
3. Khan Academy
Khan academy is a powerhouse in the academic realm best known for its wide range of video tutorials on a wide range of concepts. The app is free and available on android and iOS platforms.
Khan academy is also available in more than 36 languages and takes a self-paced approach to study. Like the former, this app provides content specific to the selected study grade and includes a variety of quizzes to test a student’s comprehension.
This app is also a must-have due to its capacity to either watch videos online or download them for offline use. We, however, suggest closely monitoring your tutor when using khan academy as it lacks all the additional features of the other apps which engage your kid, promoting more attention during the study.
4. Quizlet
Quizlet makes use of flashcards to promote better recall of studied concepts in your learner. The app features seven modes that allow for a wide range of customization and also for self-paced study.
Quizlet can either be used online or offline and is compatible with both the android and iOS platforms. The ability to sync across devices allows for the convenience of study and continued progress even when your child changes their study location.
You can also access help from experts for a step-by-step analysis of various mathematical challenges you encounter. We like the approaches taken by Quizlet, including retrieval practice and guidance fading.
Regular practice of a study concept helps you to acquaint yourself with the concept better, therefore helping you to have a more in-depth understanding of math problems.
5. Mental math cards
This app is integrated with the game center and provides a leader’s board and achievements to track your child’s progress in the game. Unlike many games, this app offers step-by-step instructions on how to approach problems through various difficulty levels, thus giving your learner a firm grounding in mathematical concepts.
We also find it amazing that the app is free and features a Twitter support team to help you manage any challenges you encounter when using the app. The app takes a great approach where each level builds on previously learned concepts, promoting better recall and comprehension.
The app also offers tons of easy-to-remember math tips and takes a piecemeal approach to math problems. For instance, the app breaks hard multiplication problems into simpler chunks, reducing the dependency on calculators to perform these calculations.
Final Take
Cultivating interest in elementary mathematics does not require coercion. The apps in this guide should help you to give your child a different view of math and improve their grasp of math concepts as they advance through various levels of study.
However, be keen to monitor your child’s progress and chip in when needed to help them overcome any confusion and determine additional resources they could require for their study.