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!
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!
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?
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!
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!
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. 
