Helpful maths apps/websites

[RTGC]

Hi

I started a thread recently about times tables apps and had such a great response that I’m doing it again!

My DS is in year 2 and is currently very into maths but also struggling somewhat with confidence and is more than happy to set aside 10 minutes a day to work on maths for the positive reinforcement that he gets at home. He’s not keen on writing so I don’t want to push worksheets, but loves the novelty of using the computer/ipad.

We’ve signed up to Mathletics, but it just seems a bit “slow” with all the clicking submit, then next and this not being instant. It’s also a little bit boring in that it doesn’t adapt at all to a child’s level based on how they are doing and doesn’t actually seem to explain how to do anything.

What general maths apps are you using for your KS1/lower KS2 kids and how do you find them?

Ideally I’d like something that I can see some kind of record of what and how he’s done, so I don’t need to be specifically watching over his shoulder.

I’d be interested in hearing more real life experiences of things like Mathseeds, Maths Factor, Doodle Maths or anything else that you have use/have used.

Thanks!

My DGS (Y4) and DGD (Y1) really enjoy doing Doodle Maths. They are encouraged by earning the stars and other rewards. Their Mum gets updates when they ?complete a level so she is aware of progress.

I’ll take a look and give that one a trial I think, it does look similar to Mathletics from what I can see so hopefully DS will like that too and I can see which might have some longevity.

It looks like it has an app which would be better than needing to use a website too.

Not an app I’m afraid but Topmarks Maths has something for pretty much every topic.
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/5-7-years/counting
They have games ranging from early years up to high school.

You could also look at Prodigymaths and Splashlearn. They both have apps and the basic package is free. Both are gamified but they are American so when setting up you might need to look at which is the best curriculum to set them to - I find the Georgia one or core closest.

My son is 6 and he really enjoys math. They have NumBots app from school. You have to complete levels in a time frame. So the way I play with him we take turns in completing the levels. It's more interesting for him and also gives you some understanding on his math level.

Doodle maths - my kids enjoy it. They give out real badge over the summer and one other holiday if you keep your streak and get enough points. They do English and maths daily (about 5-10 mins).

PM me if you want a referral code - you get a free month and I get £5.

I.c.t. games

Numbots is great for KS1 children and there are loads of great maths games on top marks, including one called hit the button (which also has an app).

Corbett Maths corbettmaths.com

He’s not keen on writing so I don’t want to push worksheets, but loves the novelty of using the computer/ipad.

This isn't a criticism in your approach but now's the time to print worksheets and deal with that hesitance before it becomes more of a problem.

Plenty of resources out there like twinkl, SATs Papers, WRM etc offer free PDF downloads.

1 minute Maths by White Rose Maths is good though practising with an adult/sibling also worth doing!

Worksheetzone has every math topic and all grade levels, but it's a website, not an app
https://worksheetzone.org/worksheets/math

The adaptive thing is so important, you're right. Have a look at mathstutor.me, my DH built it and the whole point is that it uses AI to adjust the difficulty in real time based on how your child is doing, so it won't keep throwing easy questions or jump too far ahead. It also tracks progress properly so you can see exactly what they're improving on and where the gaps still are. There's a free assessment on there that maps out where your DC is right now against the curriculum, which saves a lot of guesswork. It's gamified too (points, streaks, levels) which is what kept our DS engaged when other apps didn't. Free tier gives two lessons a day and it covers KS1 all the way through to GCSE so you won't outgrow it.

Worth bookmarking numblings.com if you want printable worksheets — it's a free generator, no login, prints clean to A4. The MTC-style weighting feature biases questions toward the harder tables (6s/7s/8s/9s/12s) which is what the real test does. We also use TT Rockstars at our school but it requires a subscription and is more game than practice.