4 Learning Games for Kids that Build Academic Skills

Play is one of the most important ways in which kids learn new academic skills and practice useful social behaviors. Making play a part of your child’s curriculum ensures that learning is fun and keeps him motivated. There are several online learning games for kids  that help young students build a solid foundation in math, science, social studies, language arts and other subjects required by current elementary school curricula. These games are carefully designed to appeal to an audience that has a notoriously short attention span and gets quickly bored by conventional learning methods. 

Here’s a list of the top 4 online learning games for kids:
1. Math Blaster HyperBlast  

If your child is ready for a fast-paced inter-galactic adventure, have him hop on his HyperCycle  and see if he can get the better of alien robots and get past complicated blockades with nothing but his math skills. This fun learning game for kids has 30 levels of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and is available in English and Spanish. Players can also adjust the difficulty level and gameplay to match their skill level.    

2. DigitalDialects
If you’re looking for interesting ways to help your child learn another language, Digital Dialects is the place to go. This unique website offers interactive learning games for kids in more than 50 languages from around the world. Players simply click on the language they want to learn and are taken to a page that covers different subjects ranging from colors and vocabulary to food and clothing. Learning a language has never been so easy for kids! 

3. GrandPrix 

Experienced math teachers have contributed their learning tips, techniques and well-kept secrets to design this interactive math learning game for kids. Your child competes with his classmates or online playmates in a thrilling car race that can only be won by solving multiplication problems correctly. The speed of his car depends on how quickly he solves each problem. Players get a huge adrenaline rush as they practice math against time! It’s easy to get hooked to Grand Prix!

4. HistoryGames
Online learning games for kids are often more effective than conventional teaching methods. Kids connect with games on an entirely different level, resulting inparticipatory rather than passive learning. 

Why Online Math Games Work So Well - Learning with Math Games for Kids

At home or in the classroom, online math games make a big difference to the way kids learn mathematics. Math whizzes and struggling learners alike are only too eager to get their turn at the computer, and readily spend hours answering questions on multiplication, fractions, algebra and more. Whether you’ve seen this phenomenon yourself or you’re still not convinced about the effectiveness of using math games for kids, you’re probably wondering how these games can make such a difference when teaching mathematics. Here are some of the main reasons math games for kids are so effective.

Motivation – When in the classroom, even the best of teachers cannot hold a child’s attention for much longer than an hour. Fun math games for kids can keep children playing and working on their math for hours at a stretch. This is because games use rewards like points, levels and badges to keep their players motivated and to encourage them to work harder and aim for higher goals. This type of positive reinforcement is enough to keep children going even when they make mistakes or encounter difficulties along the way.

Constant practice – Math games for kids are designed to repeat the same type of math questions until they sense that the player is able to answer them correctly. This way, kids keep practicing the same mathematical concepts and procedures until they are able to complete them with ease. This type of repetitive practice plays a key role in mastering math facts and procedures.

Immediate feedback – Immediate constructive feedback is another key aspect of math games for kids that contributes to their effectiveness in teaching math. When feedback is provided immediately, it serves as positive reinforcement for kids doing well and a corrective element for kids who need to alter their approach.

Relevance – For many kids, working with numbers does not hold much meaning for them. Students often wonder how math is important in the real world when they are never expected to solve numerical equations in their daily lives. Math games for kids highlight the relevance of mathematics by creating meaningful situations for the application of math skills. Virtual situations like buying groceries, measuring ingredients or running a business provides a context and relevance for the math problems.

Customization – Math games for kids provide a customized experience for every player. The complexity of the math problems is adjusted according to the skill and abilities of the player. This creates a personalized learning experience that keeps quick learners from getting bored and slow learners from giving up.

Engagement – Just like any other online game, kids’ math games are designed to engage the player and keep them coming back for more. Kids get engrossed with their progress and performance in the game and they are eager to learn the skills necessary to succeed in the game, whether those skills are game-related or math-related. 

Positive attitude – One of the biggest challenges a math teacher faces is to get the students to like the subject. Math games for kids achieve this effortlessly by removing the fear of failure and building self concept through the positive reinforcement and reward system in the game. This creates a positive attitude towards math that is essential in performing well.

Train Young Learners’ Minds with Multiplication Worksheets

As kids move up the ladder of grades, they find it increasingly difficult to cope with the horde of new math skills that are added to their curriculum. Among the new topics and skills, it is multiplication that they find rather difficult, as it is an altogether different discipline from the much simpler concepts of addition, subtraction and pattern recognition. It requires nuanced skills like observation, retention and application to understand and successfully solve multiplication problems. Apart from the countless multiplication games available online, multiplication worksheets, too, play an important role in training the young minds. 

How do Multiplication Worksheets Train Young Minds?

Multiplication worksheets are the perfect free resource that helps kids practice multiplication skills. Some unarguable benefits of multiplication worksheetsare listed below.

●     Free multiplication worksheets available online are most often created by experienced teachers and parents who have themselves tried and tested these free resources. They have applied their experience to make these multiplication worksheets the best online practicing tool with a little tweak and twist here and there!

●     Arrays of DIY multiplication worksheet tools are available online which are more accurate than anything else! These generator tools require the creators to enter their unique preferences – range of numbers, levels, horizontal or vertical alignments, and type of integers – and print accurate, free multiplication worksheets in a single click!

●     Some math websites like Math Blaster, Education, and Math is Fun try to make multiplication worksheets as colorful and bright as possible so that kids enjoy solving them. From kindergarteners to middle schoolstudents, kids of all ages find such multiplication worksheets fun and worth their effort. 

●     Parents and teachers find it convenient to make kids practice downloaded multiplication worksheets as they come with accurate answer keys.

Roles of Other Multiplication Resources in Training Young Minds

Learning capabilities differ from one child to another – therefore, suitable multiplication resource will also differ from one child to another. Some might find multiplication worksheets to be extremely useful while other kids might prefer multiplication games to help them practice their multiplication skills. 

Playing dominoes, with a fun twist, is an interesting and interactive way to practice multiplication skills. Before your child places a tile, ask him to multiply the dots on each side. He gets to place the tile only if his answer is right, otherwise he removes one. This is a multiplication activity that he’ll not mind repeating over and over!

To help kids practice their multiplication tables, encourage them to read the registration plates of cars on the go and multiply the numbers. For example, if the registration number of a car is 371, ask him to multiply 3x7x1! This is a great practice that will help kids learn multiplication with fun on the go!

Popular Online Games with a Math Twist

Practicing math is usually pretty low on an average student’s list of priorities. Playing online games effortlessly makes it to the top of the list. Parents and educators quickly put two and two together to conclude that the simplest way to get students to practice math is to sneak it into a fun online game. Catching on, game developers began to create engaging and addictive cool math games that disguised math practice as entertainment. This tactic is not very different from those macaroni and cheese meals with hidden vegetables that parents serve their fussy eaters. Unsurprisingly, it works equally well. 

Math is used in a wide variety of situations and ways in real life. The cool math games online reflect this diversity, sneaking math into every type of online game popular with kids. A quick look at the top cool math games for kids reveals how ingeniously learning and fun can be combined. In some cases, previously existing online games were tweaked to add an element of math to the game play. In others, a popular game format was replicated to create a new game with a math twist to it. Here are some of the most popular ones online: 

Cool Math Racing Game - Crazy Taxi 

Racing games are all about speed, rides and control of the vehicle. Very popular with young boys, there are hundreds of free racing games online. The online game ‘Crazy Taxi’ has always been a big hit with the public. In the game, players drive a taxi with the simple goal of driving as fast as possible. Cars that get in the way are simply jumped over. The success of the online game led to a cool math game on similar lines – the cars in the game each have a number across the back of the vehicle. The taxi driver’s goal is to get to the finish line while bumping into all cars that are multiples of a given number, and avoiding the others. 

Cool Math Strategy Game – Fireboy and Watergirl 

Strategy games are another type of immensely popular online game for kids. By their very nature, strategy games help kids develop problem solving, logical and critical thinking skills. These skills play an important role in solving math problems. Therefore strategy games are a perfect example of cool math games for kids. Fireboy and Watergirl is a fun strategy game online. Players control two avatars made of fire and water respectively. While both characters must work together to win each level, they cannot come in contact with each other or they risk losing their lives. 

Cool Math Simulation Game – Coffee Shop 

Simulation games are games that replicate real life situations to give players experiences that they otherwise could not have. For example, there are simulation games where players manage a sports team, run a farm, build a city or even live life as a different persona. In simulation games, the player’s actions shape the development and progress of the game. Coffee Shop is a cool math game that works the same way. Players run their own coffee stand, buying material to make coffee, fixing the recipe and setting the price of a cup of coffee at the start of each day. Customers’ reactions vary accordingly, forming the reputation of the hotel. Players use each day’s earnings and the business lessons learnt to buy material for the next day. Games like this require players to use their math skills in realistic, life-like situations. Coffee shop involves calculating how much ingredients can be bought each day, calculating the profit on each cup of coffee, reading graphs about customer experience, etc. Additionally, players make important decisions based on the mathematical information available to them. 

These are just a few of the many types of cool math games available for kids to play. If you are looking for a great math game for your children, you can do a little research to find out what kind of online game they like best, and then look for fun online math games in those categories. With a little patience and effort, you’re sure to find great math games that get your kids eager to practice math – err.. play online!

Ways to Make Math Cool for Kids

Everybody’s focus today is on how to make math cool for kids. Gone are the days when teachers and parents would resort to math worksheets and drills to help their kids master the subject. Interactive online math games, unique teaching methods, and hands-on, practical examples are slowly becoming the most used approaches to teaching the subject.

Sounds easier said than done? Here are some simple and innovative ways to make math cool for kids.

Cool Math for Kids – Ideas and Tips

There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to the best or the right way to teach math. However, observing what kind of method your kids enjoy the most and using it to successfully teach them new concepts is always a good idea. Here are some ideas you can implement in the classroom or at home and watch the little ones grow up to love the subject!

1. Using Music to Teach Math

   While this may come as a surprise to some, math and music are far more closely linked than you can imagine! Music relies heavily on a solid understanding of math. It can also be used to teach kids math concepts such as fractions.
   
   Aren’t you amazed at how kids manage to remember lyrics of their favorite songs? They even know the latest songs by heart in just a couple of listens. So, why not use music and rhythm to teach them math concepts or formulas? Bring music into your classroom. You can use it as a mode of instruction or even use it to help kids understand new concepts like patterns. Get creative and use your kids’ reactions as feedback. Get creative and watch the little ones look forward excitedly to every math class! How cool is that?

2. Play Cool Math Games

   Today’s kids are definitely far more tech-savvy than we were at that age! Computers, smartphones, and tablets have changed the way we all look at technology, and everything you need is just a click or a tap away.
   
   Exploit the benefits that technology offers to make math cool for your kids. There are umpteen math games and apps that are available to serve this very purpose. Browse online and zero in on games that are a great combination of learning and fun. Depending on the age group of the kids you are teaching and the topics in question, you can choose specific games and even set the level of difficulty. By avoiding the oft-used traditional method of putting pen to paper to practice math, you help kids look at math differently and enjoy the process of learning!

3. Keep it Real and Interactive

   Math is a subject that cannot be memorized and blindly rehashed on a test paper. It is a subject that needs to be fully and clearly understood. The best part about the subject is its use in everyday activities! Hence, the easiest way to make math cool for kids is to use real-life examples to introduce different concepts to the little ones.
   
   Bring pizza into the classroom and ask kids to divide it into 8 equal slices. Pretend to buy a bunch of items (chocolates are a good bet!) and ask kids to calculate the total. Extend the example to calculate the amount of change that you need to get back if you gave the cashier a hundred dollar bill. Not only will classes be more interactive with such examples, but kids will also see how relevant math and its different concepts are to everyday living.
   
   Math is a crucial subject to master. If kids develop a dislike towards subject, it will be difficult to change that as they grow older. Implement these different ideas and ways to make math cool for kids at an early age and watch them grow to love the subject and value its importance. Don’t hesitate to get creative and come up with your very own ways to make math cool!

How Do Math Games Help Dyslexic Kids Learn?

Dyslexia is often described as a “learning disability involving difficulties in acquiring and processing language that is typically manifested by a lack of proficiency in reading, spelling, and writing” despite having a normal intelligence level. In layman’s terms, dyslexia is a state where learners get confused with letters and numbers and are often unable to read and comprehend them. This syndrome is often found in kids who are learning to read and write, with language and math being the two worst casualties of dyslexia.

Dyslexia, obviously because it is not a ‘disease’, doesn’t have any cure or remedy. The syndrome can only be treated with proper learning tools and techniques that help dyslexic children read, learn and write successfully. Famous Hollywood director Steven Spielberg, who successfully battled dyslexia, says that “movies really helped me...kind of saved me from shame, from guilt, from putting it on myself, from making it my burden when it wasn't my burden. I think making movies was my great escape, it was how I could get away from all that.” While Spielberg fought dyslexia with movies, others like noted author and mathematician Lewis Carroll, enigmatic entrepreneur Richard Branson and talented actor Tom Cruise chose to fight it with the help of learning tools such as interactive math games and with the support and encouragement of parents and teachers.

Interactive Math Game Ideas for Learning Place Value

As popular actor Orlando Bloom has said - “Dyslexia is not due to lack of intelligence, it's a lack of access. It's like, if you're dyslexic, you have all the information you need, but find it harder to process”. Access to the right tools and methods paired with the right techniques and knowledge about the process are essential to fight dyslexia. Several interactive math games online have been made in scientific ways to help dyslexic learners comprehend elementary knowledge input.
When it comes to learning place value with interactive math games, don’t be alarmed if kids make up numbers that don’t make any logical sense at all or arrive at wrong answers. However, encourage them to read out the numbers with the ones, tens and hundreds in place. This will help them grasp the digits and identify the numbers while being taught in school. Once kids identify digits and their placement, understanding math concepts will be relatively easier.

Learning Time with Math Games 

Dyslexic kids find it difficult to read time from clocks and take long to understand the concept of time on the wall. Here’s a simple but effective way to help them. Make two clocks from cardboard - one with a long minute hand with dashes as minutes and the other hand with a short hour hand with the numbers 1-12 marked. Explain slowly that the minute hand is the longer one because the word ‘minute’ is longer than ‘hour’. Move the hand five dashes and explain that 5 minutes is as long as the time he takes to brush his teeth. Move the hour hand on the other clock from 1 to 2 and explain that for the hand to move from one number to the next - 1 hour – is roughly as long as it takes him to get ready for school. Make sure the hour and minute hands are made from a colored paper to sustain his interest in the learning.

Interactive math games are sure to help dyslexic kids learn math with ease, besides proving to be a wonderful and fun experience.

Making Fractions Fun with Cool Math Games

Use Cool Math Games to Make Fractions Interesting and Fun

The term ‘fraction’ has been derived from the Latin word ‘fractus’ which means ‘broken’. For beginners and new learners, let’s just describe fraction as counting a part of something. There are innumerable ways of introducing little learners to the world of fractions and cool math games are especially helpful in this case. Lets acquaint ourselves with a few cool math games that make teaching and learning fractions as fun as possible!

The Magic Number ‘1’ In Fractions

Always note that if the numerator equals the denominator, then the fraction is considered to be whole number 1. This is the golden rule of fractions: 2/2 is 1, 99/99 is 1, 200/200 is also 1. Teach them this with the cool fraction games that are listed below. 

Flour Rounds 

You will need flour rounds, markers and marker boards for this cool math game. Hand over two flour rounds to each student and advise them to keep one on top of the other. Explain to them that one flour round is one whole. Instruct them to fold one flour round into half and do the same for them to follow. Ask the students how many rounds of flour they have with them and instruct them to explain their responses using the props. Write down the responses they elicit and add the two children’s answers to show them that two halves equal to one!

Paper Crafts 

You will need papers of various colors, crayons and base-ten blocks. Hand over a set of four colored papers to each kid. Have them keep the first one as it is. Let them fold the second in half, the third in one-third and the fourth into one-fourth. Ask them to write the fraction of each fold on each folded paper and do the same for them to follow and understand the concept of fractions. 

Yum Pies

Gather yum pies and cutting utensils for this cool math game. Divide the class into groups with inconsistent number of students. Hand over a pie to each group and share it equally among the team members and warn them against eating the pies up! Choose a group leader and ask her to share her observations on the number of pieces each member in her team got. Do this with all the teams so that the class can get an in-depth understanding of fractions. Make sure to distribute equal pieces to each little one after the lesson is well-learnt!

How can Cool Math Games Online Improve Grades?

There’s no point trying to add when you haven’t learnt to count yet! Clear concepts come only with regular practice and regular practice in turn makes kids very slapdash with math worksheets, problems and activities. Besides breaking the language barriers that kids from diverse backgrounds face, cool math games minimize teachers’ and parents’ involvement and develop leadership and team-playing qualities in them. 

 

Skills of Problem-solving

The moment kids embark on a math problem they invariably get lost in the tangles of words and fail to arrive at a conclusive answer. Traditional ways of teaching math can be extremely suffocating to kids who find it difficult to comprehend. A step-by-step approach of cool math games that break up complex steps for kids to understand and solve then solve is indispensible to the learning of math. Cool math games create coherent situations that students find simple enough to unravel and therefore develop an interest.

Ability to Form Relationships 

Cool math games are generally segmented into steps that required to be solved independently of each other in order to arrive at an overall answer. A step-by-step approach adopted by games developers help kids break up the problem and solve. The ability to form relationships take kids a long way in terms of social skills and speech and writing coordination. Every subject is based on inherent relationships between each element, cracking which students can go a long way in improving grades.  

Logical and Practical Thinking Process 

Thankfully, today’s educational system is not identical to the erstwhile teaching traditions which had never given kids to explore as much as they do now. There are plenty of math games online that give students a world of options to explore and experiment with new and innovative techniques and learn in the process. The horde of cool math online encourages kids to think practically and with use logic over traditional knowledge. At higher grades, kids apply the knowledge to other subjects like science and social studies to understand complex and advanced concepts independently. It’s therefore obvious how cool math online go a long way in improving grades in other subjects as well. 

Examine and Understand Patterns 

Studying patterns and identifying is imperative to accomplishing goals. Cool math games are all about patterns and patterns help to predict what will be the next in sequence and escape the monotony of tedious and long math process of solving problems. If one studies patterns in math games ideally with precision, then it’s easy to arrive at an answer in a jiffy, example being the sum of numbers 1 to 100. If studied carefully, it can be noticed that 1 and 100 sums up to 101, 2 and 99 makes 101, 3 and 98 too makes 101 and that this pattern is repeated 50 times counting from 1 to 100. Therefore, multiplying 101 into 50 can be the simplest way to arrive at the solution! This sense and inclination of patterns can make students realize the relation between each topic and score higher grades. Understanding patterns helps kids choose a lucrative and exciting career path when they grow up, that of cryptography.