shelidonSeptember 20, 2024Leave a Comment

Yesterday, we saw 12 video games that teach you how to code, but what if you’re dealing with people who need a motivational boost with a foundational concept like math? Well, look no more. Here’s a selection of 8+1 games that might do the trick.

1. DragonBox

DragonBox is an award-winning series of educational math games developed by WeWantToKnow AS, a Norwegian studio. The series aims to teach children various mathematical concepts, including algebra, number sense, and geometry, through engaging and interactive games designed to make learning math enjoyable and intuitive, helping children understand complex concepts without the frustration often associated with traditional teaching methods. Players engage in activities that involve organizing cards or manipulating colourful characters called Nooms, which represent numbers, and the games cater to various age ranges, with specific titles designed for younger children (ages 4-8) and more advanced players (ages 8 and up). Each game focuses on different aspects of math, such as basic arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. It received multiple awards for its innovative approach to education, including the Games for Change award for “Best Learning Game” in 2016.

In detail, the main programs are:

• DragonBox Numbers, which focuses on developing foundational skills in number recognition, counting, and basic addition and subtraction. It uses characters called Nooms to help children understand how numbers work in a playful environment, and it’s suitable for ages 4-8.
• DragonBox Algebra 5+ and 12+, that introduces players to algebraic concepts such as solving equations, understanding variables, and manipulating expressions, and gradually progresses from simple to more complex algebraic ideas, including addition and subtraction of variables, multiplication and division, understanding and applying the order of operations, working with parentheses and factorization.
• DragonBox Elements, which teaches geometric concepts, including the properties and relationships of shapes. Players engage with Euclidean proofs and explore the characteristics of various geometric figures, enhancing their spatial reasoning skills;
• DragonBox BIG Numbers, focusing on long addition and subtraction like carrying over in addition. It helps children develop a deeper understanding of larger numbers and the operations involved in manipulating them.

There are also DragonBox Algebra games that cover more advanced topics for older students, such as solving linear equations, understanding inequalities, working with functions, and graphing.

2. Slice Fractions

Slice Fractions is an educational video game developed by Ululab, designed to help children aged 5 to 12 learn and understand fractions through engaging gameplay when they are just beginning to grasp the concept at traditional school. Players navigate a colourful prehistoric world where they must solve physics-based puzzles to free a woolly mammoth trapped in blocks of ice. The core mechanic involves slicing through ice and lava blocks, which introduces and reinforces fraction concepts. It includes over 140 innovative puzzles that gradually introduce more complex fraction concepts as players progress.

The game’s development involved collaboration with educational experts and researchers, ensuring that it aligns with educational standards and effectively teaches mathematical concepts. If you want to know more, you can read this paper.

3. Moose Math

Moose Math is an educational video game developed by Duck Duck Moose, specifically designed for children aged 3 to 7. Released on October 15, 2013, it provides an interactive approach to learning foundational math concepts suitable for kindergarten and first-grade students.

The game features an adaptive learning system that tailors content based on each child’s progress, ensuring a personalized experience that meets individual learning needs. As children complete activities, they earn rewards that allow them to build and decorate their own city, adding an element of creativity and motivation to the learning process.

Activities include:

• Moose Juice, in which Players make smoothies while practising counting, addition, and subtraction;
• Pet Bingo, a bingo game where children solve math problems to win;
• Paint Pet, where Kids match pets by counting dots;
• Lost & Found, which Involves sorting shapes and colours;
• Dot to Dot, where players help a character find its way home by connecting dots.

Moose Math covers essential math topics aligned with Common Core State Standards, including:

• Number Sense: understanding the relationship between numbers and quantities and solving word problems
• Mastering Counting by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s, and counting up to 100;
• Addition and Subtraction up to 20 using various methods, including dice and visual aids;
• Geometry: identifying and recognizing simple shapes appropriate for kindergarten and first-grade levels;
• Understanding and comparing lengths to aid their spatial thinking.

4. Tami’s Tower

Not strictly about math but worth a mention anyway, Tami’s Tower is an educational game developed by the Smithsonian Science Education Center, aimed at teaching engineering design principles to young learners, particularly those in kindergarten through second grade. Players help Tami, a golden lion tamarin, reach delicious fruit by building a stable tower. The challenge lies in designing the tower with different shapes and materials, in such a way that it can withstand various obstacles and prevent it from toppling over. Tami’s Tower introduces players to basic engineering concepts, such as stability, weight distribution, and the importance of shape in design, it encourages students to reflect on their design choices and assesses their confidence in their solutions. In addition to the main gameplay, there is a Sandbox mode where students can experiment with different designs without the constraints of the main game, allowing for creative exploration.

5. Mathmateer

Mathmateer is another educational video game standing between math and engineering, as it teaches math concepts through the fun of building and launching rockets. Players start by selecting from over 90 colourful rocket parts, and once the rocket is built, they watch it launch into space, where math missions take place. During 56 unique math missions with increasing difficulty levels, players must solve math problems involving numbers, fractions, decimals, counting, time, shapes, patterns or arithmetic operations. Players earn bronze, silver or gold medals based on their performance and can try to beat their high scores.

6. Toon Math

Toon Math is an educational video game designed to help young children aged 5 to 12 improve their math skills. The game is structured as an endless runner, where players navigate through various levels while solving math problems. The objective is to rescue friends who have been kidnapped and taken to Halloween Town, adding a narrative element to the gameplay.

7. Math Land

Math Land is an educational video game developed by Didactoons, and it combines a pirate adventure theme with various mathematical challenges. Players take on the role of Ray, a pirate tasked with retrieving sacred gems that have been stolen by the evil pirate Max, and the game involves navigating through various islands filled with obstacles and traps, where players must solve math problems to progress. Math topics covered include addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, sorting numbers from higher to lower and understanding negative numbers. It features over 25 levels, each presenting unique challenges and puzzles.

8. Prodigy Math

Prodigy Math is an educational video game designed to help students in grades 1 through 8 (6-14 years old) improve their math skills through interactive gameplay. Developed by Prodigy Education Inc., the game combines elements of role-playing games (RPGs) with curriculum-aligned math content. Players create their own wizard and embark on a journey through a fantasy world filled with quests, battles, and challenges. As they progress, they encounter various monsters and other players, engaging in math duels to advance. The game features an adaptive algorithm that tailors math questions to each student’s individual learning level.

9. Mathigon

Mathigon is an educational platform designed to make learning math engaging and interactive for students of all ages. It offers a variety of tools and resources that cater to different mathematical concepts such as algebra, geometry, calculus, and statistics, making it suitable for both classroom use and independent learning. One of the standout features of Mathigon is Polypad, a virtual math tool that allows students to manipulate shapes, create graphs, and explore mathematical concepts visually. Polypad supports activities related to geometry, algebra, and number theory, making it a versatile resource for hands-on learning.

Have you ever used any of these tools? Do you know any that I missed? Tell us in the comments.