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Best Math App for Kids – Updated 2020

Math is going to be one of the most important skills that your children will learn in their lifetime. They’re going to use it in everyday life, like when they determine what their exact change is after buying something or when they’re taking measurements for a home improvement project.

Just based on personal experience as a grown-up, you know how important math can be. However, not all kids exhibit a natural love for numbers. And, most of the time, kids see numbers and formulas as dull and unexciting to learn. Maybe you can change your children’s perspective of math and numbers by showing them how fun it can actually be. How can you do this? Definitely, by finding the best math apps for kids on the internet.

What You Need to Know Before Downloading aMath App

Before you hit that “download” button, you have to remember a few things. There has always been a debate about whether apps can be good for kids or not. According to experts, it can go both ways. If you leave your kids alone to tinker with apps all day, then you’re approaching the use of technology in a negative way.

Children below two years of age shouldn’t have any screen time at all because it has plenty of adverse effects to their development. For kids who are three years old and above, the recommended screen time should be observed:

  • Children younger than 18 to 24 months should NOT have any screen time.
  • For children ages 2 to 5, limit screen time to ONE HOUR A DAY of high-quality programming.

It’s important for you to step in when it comes to your kids using apps. Experts always say that allowing your kids to use educational apps is not a problem as long as you are there to supervise, guide, and interact with them. On top of that, experts also say that real learning takes place when parents join in on the fun and use the apps with their children.

When you understand this fully, the next step is to arrange a time in the day where you and your child can use learning apps together – add it into your routine. Then, when all is set, you can download the following apps that have been listed below to grow your child’s love for numbers.

The Best Math Apps for Kids

Math Games, Learn Add, Subtract, Multiply & Divide

Suitable for: Entire Family

Link: PlayStore

The app has been downloaded more than 10 million times and has loads of fun features like puzzles, games, and even Sudoku, which serve as brain exercises. There are different levels in terms of difficulty so kids of any age can use it (even the younger ones). By using the Duel Mode, two players can even go head-to-head and solve math formulas on the same app at the same time.

Math Kids

Suitable for: Entire Family, Preschoolers

Links:

With simple math formulas, young children can learn to count and compare while using this app. They can also learn to add and subtract through fun puzzles, quizzes, and mini-games. The one big advantage of this app is that it is free, but still full-featured and ready to go without any in-app purchases needed or third-party ads.

SplashLearn – Kids Math Games

Suitable for: Preschool to 5th Grade Kids

Links: AppStore

Do you want a scientifically designed app to help your preschool to 5th-grade kids learn math? SplashLearn is the perfect fit! It’s kid-friendly and safe, suitable for independent use. Plus, it was designed to actively engage children through game-play. Parents don’t have to worry about kids playing too much because the content is more of a balance between learning and playing.

With about 400 curriculum-aligned math skills set in engaging games, your kids will want to play this every day (probably more than once).

Toon Math Games & Endless Run

Suitable for: School-Aged Kids

Links:

Running games are so easy to do. You just have to press on the screen to make your character jump. Well, how about a running game that involves simple mathematical processes and equations? Introducing Toon Math – a game which combines the fun of running and avoiding obstacles, and solving math problems. The best thing is that your kids won’t even feel like they’re doing math problems while on this app.

Math Master

Suitable for: School-Aged Kids to Adolescent

Links:

Math Master can be used to provide exercises for a bored brain. It can also be a great way for a student to speed up learning and sharpening of calculation skills for an upcoming exam. There are different books in the app, each with several chapters that the student has to go through to earn points. There’s even a leaderboard where students can check to see their rank. Although the app was deemed as okay for all ages, it is more appropriate for older kids to teens.


Math Doors | Riddles and Puzzles Math Games

Suitable for: School-Aged Kids to Adolescent

Links: PlayStore

Riddles can be hard, but solving them is one of the best ways to keep your mind sharp. If you and your family love riddles so much, try out Math Doors – an android app that will really make your kids think (and maybe even you). You have to spot the pattern and think about the right answer logically and strategically. Definitely, this won’t be enjoyable for younger children even if you are there to guide them, so be sure to introduce this app to older, school-aged kids.

Photo Math

Suitable for: School-Aged Kids and Above

Links:

If your child regularly goes to you to ask for help with math problems, this app should be on your phone or tablet. It checks formulas and provides a step-by-step explanation of the solution. All you have to do is scan any formula on paper (even hand-written ones) with your device’s camera as if you were taking a photo. And, the app will give you the solution or check your equations, then give you the explanation. What you want from this app is that it gives you or your child options. It doesn’t just how one solution that gets the right answer; it shows multiple solving methods. 

Math Games

Suitable for: School-Aged Kids and Above

Links: PlayStore

Math Games is a challenging but addicting app at the same time. When the bigger kids in your family play the game, they have to go against the clock. They have to find the right answer as soon as they can. In the process of going through the challenges, they sharpen their math, thinking, and analyzing skills. You can even use it yourself if you feel that your math skills are becoming a bit rusty.

All Math Formula, Math Quiz, All Math Tricks

Suitable for: School-Aged Kids and Above

Links: PlayStore

All Math Formula, Math Quiz, All Math Tricks is a great app for older kids who are from the 6th to 12th grade. It contains Quiz Games, Formula, Brain Training, a Unit Converter, Riddle Games, and more. With Quiz Game, kids will have to unlock one chapter before they can move on to the next so they really have to think about each Algebra question, just like how they would strategize in a video game.

Math Jumps: Math Games

Suitable for: School-Aged Kids and Above

Links: PlayStore

If you love games like Super Mario, you will love Math Jumps too! It’s a running game set in a cube world. While playing, an equation will pop up on the screen. To make sure that the character continues the run and gets through obstacles, the right answer must be chosen.

It doesn’t exactly teach the users how to calculate for the right answer. But, it sharpens the users’ minds to come up with the answer to equations and processes they are already familiar with. It’s suitable for school-aged kids as it deals with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Math Master Educational Game and Brain Workout

Suitable for: School-Age Kids and Above

Links: PlayStore

Math Master Educational Game and Brain Workout is a family-friendly app that teaches school-aged kids 97 mathematical topics, starting from the easiest to the most challenging.

Users will have to start out as a baby, learning about the basics like addition and subtraction. As a player gets through each level, the character grows up and gains skills to take on the next-level topics like fractions and logarithm.

Mathway

Suitable for: School-Aged Kids and Above

Links:

From Basic Math or Pre-Algebra to Calculus or Statistics, Mathway has got answers for any type of math problem. Ask Mathway, take a photo of the problem formula, and get solutions from all levels. It may not be suitable for very young children, but if you have school-aged kids or even adolescents who need an easy-to-use app to help them with their homework, they will appreciate Mathway!

Math Tutorials

Suitable for: School-Aged Kids and Above

Links: PlayStore

The Math Tutorials app seems to be functioning under the principle of learning by doing as it provides video explanations or how-tos with specific mathematical formulas in Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry, Fractions, and Physics just to name a few. It’s definitely not for young kids but it is a great help for older kids who have trouble visualizing the right formula for their math problem. It is also going to be useful for you, as a parent, to better explain the step-by-step process of a certain mathematical solution.

Brilliant – Solve, Learn, Grow

Suitable for: 10 Years Old and Above

Links: AppStore

You and your kids will love the Brilliant app. Not only is it easy on the eyes, but it also focuses on both science and mathematics. You or your children can learn about key concepts through problem-solving, explore new topics, discover new ways of thinking, and go through more than 60 interactive courses. The goals are for you to become a smarter parent so you can help with your kids’ homework and for your children to be better problem solvers.

FastMath – Take Photo & Solve

Suitable for: Elementary Age Students and Older

Links: AppStore

FastMath is basically a homework aid for those who have trouble understanding step-by-step solutions to mathematical equations. The user just has to take a photo of the problem (hand-written is acceptable), and the camera will do its trick to calculate and come up with a solution. Then, users can see how the app got to the right answer by showing each step of the process.

There is even a history feature that tracks the formulas that a user takes photos of. Although this one is not for younger audiences, it sure will improve the comprehension of both kids and parents who are a little bit lost when it comes to equations.

Math Games. Mathematics. Math Tricks

Suitable for: School-Aged Kids and Up

Links: PlayStore

With fun, kid-appropriate graphics, this app is said to help young ones improve their memory as well as form neural connections through its games and puzzles. It aims to train the brain with mental arithmetic and math tricks.

It currently has basic math fields like addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, square root, and more – perfect for kids who are already attending big school. Although it may not help with homework like some other apps here, it will surely sharpen your child’s mathematical abilities.

Prodigy: Kids Math Game

Suitable for: School-Aged Kids

Links: AppStore

Your kids won’t be able to believe how fun the Prodigy app is. They can even invite their friends to make characters and form a team. Players can go on quests together, rescue pets, fight boss monsters, and explore the Prodigy World while learning Math at the same time. What they will learn is foundational math skills, and the best part is it’s free. You could say that Prodigy is a video game and an educational math app rolled into one.

Math Master Kids – Math Game for Children

Suitable for: School-Aged Kids

Links: PlayStore

Focusing on Elementary Mathematics, the Math Master Kids app teaches kids simple mathematical equations through a series of question-and-answer games. The question could be something as simple as asking how many lemons are on the screen, to something a bit more difficult like 4 multiplied by 9. Game statistics will be available so you can track your child’s progress. The developers of this app recommend the use of the app at least 10mins a day.

 

Escape Room: The 4 Digit Code

Suitable for: Adolescents and Above

Links: PlayStore

Do you think you and your kids can figure out what the 4 digit code is? Well, try and try until you succeed. With this app, you have to really use your critical thinking. You need to think outside of the box if you want to get the right answers and move to the next level. Look for clues, use your math skills, play memory games, and solve puzzles to escape the room you’re in.

Since this is a math and logic game, it may not appeal to very young kids as they may find it a bit difficult to figure out what the code is even if you are present to guide them to the right answers. Big kids, however, might find this fun and engaging.

Endless Numbers

Suitable for: 4 Years Old and Above

Links: AppStore

Younger kids and parents will love this app because of its animation and sound effects! The colors are rich, vibrant, and eye-catching. Plus the characters are charming, and the narration seems to have a relaxing effect on kids, according to some reviews. Younger kids will have 100 numbers and supporting interactive puzzles to complete. There are no high scores, failures, and limits so kids won’t feel pressured.

MathPapa – Alegbra Calculator

Suitable for: School-Aged Kids and Above

Links: AppStore

It’s common for parents, especially working ones, to not have enough time. When kids need help with their math homework and you still have a bit of work to do, let MathPapa take care of it for you. Of course, you have to eventually step in and check your child’s work yourself, but MathPapa is still a big help especially when it comes to linear equations, quadratic expressions, and other aspects of Algebra.

4th Grade Math Games for Kids

Suitable for: For 4th Graders

Links: AppStore

This app is a little bit specific, but it is the right one if you have a fourth grader on your hands who needs to discover the joy of numbers. Division, multiplication, decimals, and fractions, name common mathematical topics tackled in the 4th Grade, and this app will have it. The main difference is it teaches kids the concepts of these topics in a way that’s fun and interactive through games and motivational rewards.

Reasons Why You Should Focus on Math

There are a lot of learning apps in the market that will let your kids study different things. There are plenty of applications that can teach your kids how to speak another language, and even some that can teach your kids how to play musical instruments. Learning Math, however, doesn’t come without its merits.

There was one interesting experiment done by Ryuta Kawashima of Tohuku University. He used brain scanners to watch what happens in children’s heads as they play video games and as they do simple arithmetical exercises. In this experiment, playing video games lit up parts of the brain that deal with vision and movement. But, the most interesting result is that simple arithmetical exercises actually lit up both the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

We have been taught that the left hemisphere is more for methodical thinking while the right hemisphere is for creative thinking. When doing math problems, you’d think that only the left would light up. But, based on the experiment mentioned, it’s possible for both sides of the brain to light up when doing math because it requires both logical and creative thinking to get to a solution.

Figuring out numbers and patterns is like letting your child’s brain do some gym workouts. Tell your kids that the more they do math problems, the more that they will grow their brain muscles! And, who wouldn’t want that? Kids just need a bit more convincing because they’re looking for the “fun” part of it.

How Do You Choose the Best Math App from the List?

There are so many best math apps for kids on the list so you might find it hard to choose just one. To help you out, you can filter through your options using the following app qualities:

  • Supports Development

The app should be easy to use and developmentally appropriate. For example, you cannot download an app that’s hard to navigate and has complex puzzles when your child is only 36 months or 3 years old.

  • Adaptive Learning

The simplest way to describe adaptive learning is that the app learns the movement of the user and adapts to it. Then, it suggests activities or resources based on the interaction.

  • Age Appropriateness

It’s easier for parents to choose an app based on age appropriateness because each has an age rating whether it is on the Playstore or App Store. You just need to double check the description and see if the content of the app is good or your child’s age. Generally, a 4+ rating on the App Store means that the application contains no objectionable material. On the other hand, 3+ on the Playstore means that it’s approved for all age groups.

  • Engagement and Interaction

For sure, your child has to be captivated enough to use the app over and over again. The interaction has to be engaging and entertaining. It shouldn’t be dull and uninteresting.

  • Learning Outcomes

The app should actually teach your kids something. If it has a feature that allows you to track the progress of your child, it will be all the better.

Did We Miss Anything?

We tried to make the list as comprehensible as possible, but if we missed your favorite math app for kids, send us a message, we’ll check it out, and we’ll try to include it. If you want more than just a math app, then check out our list of the best learning app for kids in general. We’re also going to update this list every now and then, so make sure that you bookmark this page so that you can refer to it anytime.

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