You’ve tried flash cards, lists, and straight-up memorization, but your child still can’t seem to remember the addition and subtraction facts. Integrating technology, particularly with addition and subtraction specific apps, can help her finally learn and retain these facts, while enjoying the process. Try the math apps below:
Hungry Fish
Ages 4 and up
Hungry Fish helps children develop basic addition and subtraction skills while boosting their mental math abilities. In one of the games, a fish swims into the “ocean” with a number displayed on its belly. Bubbles pop up, each containing a different number. Players must combine the numbers to meet the sum displayed on the fish, thereby practicing basic addition. The same type of game is played with subtraction and negative numbers, and the difficulty level of each game can be adjusted.
Addition & Subtraction for Kids
Ages 4 and up
Kids age 4 and up love this animated app that integrates pictures to help them master their math facts. At the most basic level, students are presented with simple math fact problems, such as 3+2, and are simultaneously presented with underwater objects to represent the numbers (i.e., three fish plus two starfish). They must choose the correct answer from one of three bubbles presented at the bottom of the screen. Practicing facts using this app helps children fundamentally understand addition and subtraction concepts while becoming more automatic with their facts.
Squeebles Maths Race
Ages 5-11
In this colorful app, players choose a fish type and race in a blue body of water either against the “computer” or another player. Players select an operation–addition, subtraction, addition/subtraction combo, multiplication, or division–and must correctly answer various problems in order to move forward in the race. Winning players earn squabbles and flipfish thay help them with future races.
Math Doodles
Ages 4 and up
This app integrates beautiful illustrations and engages students in activities that make math fun. Games such as Sums Stacker, Connect Sums, Unknown Square, and SplatGoRound teach students basic addition and subtraction concepts, such as merging objects to form sums and identifying missing values. The options for choosing numeric values are unique and interesting, including choices such as fingers, coins, Roman numerals, and even Hebrew and Chinese letters! The whimsical artwork is stellar. This app is a great one for building fluency with math facts and for giving students repetition with basic math concepts.
Let’s Do Mental Maths
Ages 5-11
These apps, which are grouped by age (5-6, 6-7, 7-8, 9-10, and 10-11), help students practice simple math skills and improve their mental math abilities. Basic math concepts are covered in the form of quizzes, including addition and subtraction, but also addressing multiplication, division, fractions, time, and measurement at higher levels. Students can select quizzes to take on a given topic and can take progress tests along the way. For students who need repetition and extra reinforcement of their math facts, this app is a great one!
Learning math facts doesn’t need to feel like a chore. With these colorful and engaging math apps, students will learn their math facts in no time!
