It's late August, which means that many children are headed back to school (if they haven't already) and many parents are breathing a sigh of relief that their children won't be underfoot 24/7. With the change in season bringing focus to education, we're here to help your kids get ahead and stay on top with some free cool math games.
There are multiple math games both online and for your smartphones and tablets that target specific skills your children will learn in each school grade. You can find math games for 1st graders, 2nd graders and so on. However, this list features games that can grow with your children, from elementary school and beyond.
Math Workout on by Brain Training has seen over one million downloads since the game was released in 2010 and is a great tool for all your basic arithmetic needs. It boasts several different mini-games, and gives your children the ability to hone their skills in competition against worldwide users. It's also a great game for adults to refresh their mental math skills - keeping you several steps ahead of your kids.
Mathmateer Free by Freecloud Design, Inc. provides a different setting for your kids to learn math in: outer space. In space they can solve equations that earn them money so they can build their very own spaceship! Not only will it help your children with math, it might also help them learn a thing or two about the value of the dollar.
The game is available for iOS devices, and is optimized for iPhone 5.
If you'd rather not have your kids sticky fingers all over your tablets and smartphones, CoolMath4Kids.com is a great free website that your kid can spend hours on. The garish colors of the website may hurt the eyes of an adult, but that will only make your kid love it more. With games and lessons, this website will provide the basic math knowledge that will stick with your kid for life.
Algebra Tutor by Shane Fulmer takes us away from elementary school math and into the realm of difficult-to-pronounce worlds and equations. You may not have loved Algebra back in school (I did...I'm a weirdo) but this great math app provides tools for you to refresh those skills, so you in turn can help your student. Or you can let the game do all the heavy lifting so you don't have to re-visit quadratic equation nightmares. Your choice.
Available for Android.
If your child isn't easily motivated by the spaceships of Mathmateer, perhaps the cuddly yet fierce penguins of this game will help. Madagascar Math Ops from Knowledge Adventure Inc. stars the goofy little penguins from Madagascar as they solve math problems to save their friends from some evil agents.
Using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, your children can help save their favorite characters and learn while they're at it. Depending on the child's age, they might not even realize they're being tricked into learning!
Available via iOS and Android
There are several math puzzle games out there, but Quento stands out for it's minimalist design and simple user interface. The game gives players a 3x3 grid composed of five numbers and four operators to craft an equation with - it also gives you the answer that the equation must solve.
Forcing you to work backwards from the answer, Quento ensures that your children will learn their simple equations backwards and forwards, while the puzzle element ensures that they won't tire of the game quickly.
What if the popular game Fruit Ninja had a math element added in? Well, then it would be Math Slash. The game allows players to select their grade level (1st-6th) which according to the game's description is is aligned to Common Core Standards established by Department of Education.
After that, users simply have to match the candy equation to the answer, slashing each correct answer with their finger. Combining arcade game mechanics with mathematical content, Math Slash is sure to delight your children.
Math has historically been regarded as a masculine subject, but Fashion Math changes this perception by linking math to glamour. Solving math problems earns players credits which can then be used to purchase clothes, accessories, and pets for the player character.
If any of your kids is a fan of Kim Kardashian: Hollywood, then this game which adds a bit of education into the pursuit of fashion, may be perfect for furthering their academic career.
There you have it, eight free math games that can help any kid get ahead. Games might not get your kid to Einstein or Goodwill Hunting levels of math knowledge, but they'll still help your kid impress this school year and start improving test scores.
If you're really serious about furthering your children's math education, be on the lookout for our top paid math games article in the near future!
Published: Aug 22, 2014 05:50 am