10 Apps for Math Fluency

There are so many ways to use mobile devices with students. You can createinteractive textbooks for children to read, ask them to explain their thinking through screencasting or help them access informational text using QR codes. Mobile devices can also be used to help students practice foundational math skills and build their math fluency.

In order for students to tackle the multi-step word problems they’ll be asked to solve as early as elementary school, they need to have mastered their addition, subtraction and multiplication facts. By answering 4 + 12, 15 – 5, 9 x 7 and 18 / 3 quickly and accurately, students can focus on reading word problems to figure out what the question is asking them to do. There are tons of fun apps that help children build their math fluency through games and flashcards. Check out some of these fantastic math apps.

Operation Math (iOS – $2.99, Android – $1.99)

This app turns your students into secret spies that will travel around the world on different missions. Kids can choose which operations they want to practice as they make their way through this app.

Sushi Monster (iOS – Free)

Scholastic’s app offers children multiplication and addition problems. They’ll have to reach a target number by picking the correct factors and addends listed on different pieces of sushi.

Quick Math – Arithmetic & Times Tables (iOS – $1.99)

With this app, kids will answer traditional skill-and-drill questions — but they won’t have to enter answers into a keypad. Instead, your children can write the answer anywhere on the screen of their device, and the app will read their handwriting and record their response.

Pet Bingo by Duck Duck Moose (iOS – $1.99, Android – $1.99)

In this game, children will have to answer addition, subtraction, multiplication or division questions and place their answer on a bingo board. This app is full of colorful cartoon characters and offers visual models to help students understand each problem.

Meerkat Math HD (iOS – $1.99)

This adventure app asks students to complete different races using their math facts. In order to make their meerkat avatar run and jump fast enough to be a winner, they’ll have to answer each question quickly and correctly.

Math Flash Cards * (iOS – Free)

A traditional skill-and-drill app (yes, the asterisk is part of the title), Math Flash Cards * helps children practice their times tables by customizing the number and difficulty level of each question. This app has a simple interface that makes it easy for kids to play.

10monkeys Multiplication (iOS – $1.99, Android – Free)

Kids can practice multiplication facts with this animated app. The goal is to help monkeys trapped in a tree escape by answering a set of questions correctly. This app is broken down into different times table and includes a reference chart to review facts.

Math Monsters – Bingo (iOS – Free)

Students can practice all operations using this bingo app. They’ll solve each problem and then find the answer on the bingo board. Players need to be strategic if they want to win the game.

Math Vs Zombies (iOS – $4.99, Android – Free)

This silly app asks children to add, subtract, multiply or divide single- and two-digit numbers. Students need to answer each question correctly in order to zap the zombies back into humans.

YodelOh Math Mountain (iOS – $2.99, Android – $1.99)

A virtual take on a traditional carnival game, this app helps children practice all four operations. They’ll have to work quickly so that the yodeler doesn’t fall from the top of the mountain.

What are your favorite ways to practice math fluency? Do you have an app that you’ve tried with students?

Article courtesy of Monica Burns Educator, Consultant, ADE, ClassTechTips.com