A math fact: It’s not fun to do flashcards after flashcards with your kids. Math facts have been nearly deleted from first and second-grade teaching curricula, yet children are still expected to know their math facts. In Pennsylvania, standard 2. OA.2 requires students to “Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies. By the end of Grade 2, know from memory all sums of two one-digit numbers.” The responsibility to teach this falls on the parents, and parents are often asking, how can I make Math Facts more fun to learn?
Here are online math fact games and applications for your smartphones and tablets to make memorizing more fun than flashcards.
Note: This post was updated on 9/30/21. New apps were added, and apps that no longer exist were deleted. I also added iTunes affiliate banners and amazon affiliate images–click on the banners to see the app.
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iPhone & iPad math fact games
PopMath is an old family favorite, available on iOS for $.99 for the basic game. With 6 bubbles passing through the screen, children pop the number sentence and a matching correct answer. The game gets more difficult as children progress.
For very basic practice, FlashToPass offers good old math facts, just like flashcards, except they’re a tiny bit more exciting because they’re on your iPad, iPhone or iPod.
3D Math Racing PRO is an action-packed game where the player boosts speed by solving more facts. Therefore, the faster you solve facts, the faster you win the race.
Math Bingo is more than just Bingo. This game includes a stacking game similar to Tetris, where players solve facts to earn Bingo Bugs. Five Bingo Bugs solve a Bingo and win a game. Like 3D Math Racing PRO, this game pushes not just math fact identification but speed.
Learn more: Homework help for parents who are tired of the stress
Android Math Fact Games
For Androids, try Monster Math for basic flashcard facts. The History Report records not just the progress from the current playtime but also tracks progress.
Math Bingo (described above) is also available for Android.
Math Workout is a brain training game for adults and children. In the addition mode, children race against the clock, timing how long it takes to answer 20 questions correctly. They are assigned a penalty 5 seconds for every incorrect answer. With 6 other mini-games that challenge your brain, this is a great download for all ages.
Learn more: Numbers, Counting, and Place Value With Cheerios
Online math fact games
Math Fact Practice gives children 2 minutes to complete their facts. It also prepares a report card to track progress because it’s blatantly flashcards and not such a fun game, my kids like that it’s only two minutes at a time. They can do it and move on.
In Fruit Shoot, a number sentence appears with the cursor, which you move to click or shoot a piece of floating fruit that has the correct fact answer. Available in two tracks: timed and untimed, this game is fun, but it’s a bit difficult to focus because the fact moves across the screen with the mouse.*
I’m really excited to share Math Mahjong. The game combines basic math facts with the more challenging game of Mahjong, making this a great game for older kids who are in need of basic math fact work. It’s not about speed; it’s about solving a puzzle with a skill.*
Alternatively, you can choose from online number games such as sudoku, which can help you with problem-solving and math work and are designed to really get you thinking about the decisions you make to solve the puzzle.
Learn more: How To Use Note Cards to Help with Homework and Learning
*Both Math Mahjong and Fruit Shoot are from Shepphard Software, an educational game website which features many fun math games for kids (along with every other subject). Their homepage is bookmarked on our family computer for many fun learning opportunities.
Did I leave out one of your child’s favorite math fact games? Please add it in the comments below.
