Parents have many concerns about their kids’ technology use (and rightfully so!). Aside from the usual suspects—cyberbullying, online predators, and behavioral issues—apparently, there are also a host of health problems associated with too much time in front of a screen, including scary sounding conditions like text claw and iPosture. Who knew?
Even so, we know that technology is here to stay and better still, there are tons of benefits to be had by web savvy kids who can navigate through the muck to uncover the gems of the digital space. Of course, it helps if parents can help steer them in the right direction. Not sure where to start? Next time your youngster is in need of some screen-based stimulation, consider these educational and fun math games for kids.
Bugs and Buttons
Bugs and Buttons is a colorful and cool math game for kids available for Android and iOS devices. At $2.99, it’s a little pricey as far as kids’ apps go, but it’s jam packed with fun math games—18 to be precise! Perfect for preschoolers and Kindergartners, the game teaches early math skills such as counting, sorting, and detecting patterns. Your little one will likely be so entranced by the colors, music, and imaginative play that they won’t even realize how much they’re learning!
TurtleDiary.com
TurtleDiary.com comes educator-recommended and is the whole package when it comes to cool math games for kids. The site features fun math games for toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary school kids in grades K-3. (Activities for 4th and 5th grades are coming soon!). Users can search for games by grade, subject, or topic and also have the option to download printable worksheets for offline play.
Sushi Monster
Sushi Monster is one of our favorite fun math games for kids because it’s not only from the trusted educational company Scholastic, but it’s also free! The app is great for little kids working on their addition skills, but it equally nice for the older kids who are memorizing multiplication facts. To play, kids have to feed the Sushi monster by choosing the two numbers that when added or multiplied, create the number that the monster is craving. Kids get instant feedback and can earn rewards and unlock new levels as they hone their math skills.
Can your kids learn math without computer games and apps? Certainly. There is something to be said for good old-fashioned teaching and learning tools, but if your child is going to be in front of the screen – and let’s face it, they are to some degree – then why not expose them to something that facilitates learning? As any good educator will tell you, it’s important to teach students where they are, and in today’s world, they are almost always up for a fun digital experience.
