MATH RESOURCES: Websites, Books, Apps, Games & More

You asked for MATH Resources, and we found them… with a little help from our friends, and some other great resources mentioned below. From math-related books to apps, websites, games and more, we think you’ll find what you’re looking for, but feel free to make new suggestions and we’ll be sure to keep the list growing.

P.A.L.’s Top 25 MATH Related Books for Kids & Parents*: 

  1. Math Curse by Jon Scziezka and Lane Smith
  2. Adding Math, Subtracting Tension* by Francis Stern
  3. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Jester
  4. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
  5. Holes by Louis Sachlar Frances
  6. Sideways Arithmetic from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
  7. I Hate Mathematics! by Marilyn Burns
  8. Play Ball: Sports Math from Time Life Books
  9. The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure by Hans Enzenburger
  10. How Much is a Million by David Schwartz
  11. The Man Who Counted by Malba Tahan
  12. Anno’s Mysterious Multiplying Jar by Masaichiro and Mitsumasa Anno
  13. The Grapes of Math by Greg Tang
  14. G Is for Googol: A Math Alphabet Book by David Schwartz
  15. 12 Ways to Get to 11 by Eve Merriam
  16. Each Orange Had 8 Slices by Paul Giganti
  17. The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa
  18. What’s Your Angle, Pythagoras by Julie Ellis
  19. Sir Cumference and the First Round Table by Cindy Neuschwander
  20. In Code: A Mathematical Journey by Sarah Flannery
  21. Spaghetti and Meatballs for All! A Mathematical Story by Marilyn Burns
  22. Sea Squares by Joy N. Hulme
  23. Full House, An Invitation to Fractions by Dayle Ann Dodds
  24. Divide and Ride by Stuart J. Murphy
  25. Great Estimations by Bruce Goldstone

More Great Math Booklists:

Recommended Math Websites:

Math Apps:

  • Carcassonne
  • English Country Tune
  • Go Sum
  • Kakooma
  • Little Digits
  • Math Bingo
  • MathBoard – very flexible, for practicing all kinds of arithmetic including single-digit “math facts”, the vertical algorithms, and even middle-school-level math involving reasoning about negatives, exponents, square roots.  The app has a little “scratch paper” at the bottom for doing one’s work.  You can vary the format of the question, the format of the answer, and the range of the numbers used in the questions.
  • Multiplication Genius- A good multiplication practice game with times tables and practice games. More interesting than flash cards, but a simple way to drill multiplication
  • Multiplication Trainer A simple app for practicing times tables
  • Sums Stacker – This is a problem-solving game for kids, which helps them to practice and reason with basic number combinations in addition/subtraction.  There are target sums, and the player moves stacks of numbers so that the sum of each stack matches the target sum.
  • Reiner Knizia’s Yoku-Game – This game is good for practicing basic number combinations in addition/subtraction, and it can also involve sophisticated strategic thinking.  The game shows an array of numbers, which get bigger and bigger as you reach higher levels.  You clear rows and columns by connecting numbers into addition groups and making the groups disappear.  (If 3, 4, 8, and 1 are contiguous, you can connect them and they would disappear because 3 + 4 + 1 = 8.)
  • Pop Math – This is an engaging way for kids to practice basic number combinations with all 4 basic operations.  Bubbles float around and the student pops the bubbles by choosing equivalent amounts. (40 / 8 matches with 5, for example.)
  • Motion Math HD – This is the first of a wonderful series of apps that give practice with mental math and also build number sense / reasoning skills.  In this version, the student is given a number line.  Fractions fall from the top of the screen, and the student tilts the device to make the fraction fall on the correct place on the number line.  The game requires a high level of understanding, especially in the higher levels when decimals, fractions, and percents all fall.
  • Motion Math Wings – This is part of the Motion Math series.  As your bird flies through the sky, pairs of values come flying towards it, and you have to steer your bird to fly through the higher value.  (You may see “3 sets of 5” and “4 sets of 4,” and you would fly your bird through the later one because 16 > 15.)  Like all of the Motion Math games, it requires flexible thinking because the form of the numbers keeps changing.
  • Motion Math:  Zoom – This is part of the Motion Math series.  A number appears at the top of the screen, and the student must move the number line back and forth to find where the number goes.  The clever part is that the student can zoom in and out of the number line to count by fractions, units, 10s, 100s, and 1000s.  On the higher levels, the student places fractions and negatives on the number line.
  • Motion Math:  Hungry Fish – In this Motion Math game, the player joins together floating bubbles to make a target sum.  When he does, the hungry fish eats the bubbles and gets bigger.  The target sum changes each round and gets harder and harder.  This game is good for practicing mental addition with single and double-digit numbers.
  • Sushi Monster– An engaging addition and multiplication game that goes beyond flashcards and basics drills. You are timed as you have to figure out what factors make up the number the sushi chef displays.
  • Slice It! – This is an engaging game of spatial reasoning, which also incorporates indirect practice with area, congruent figures, and fractions/percents, and factoring.  Students are given a shape, and they have to use a specified number of “slices” to cut the shape into pieces, each of which has an equal area.  The puzzles are very easy in the first few levels, but they get hard quickly.
  • Ticket to Ride
  • 24 Game – This is the electronic version of the classic card game.  (Only the easiest level is available as an app.)  This is great practice with mental math with the basic operations, and also with reasoning about factors.

 Math Related Games & Toys:

General Games

  • Manipulatives- Unifix cubes, legos, candy, coins, etc.
  • Tangrams
  • Zometool
  • Clock
  • Dice
  • Playing Cards
  • Haba King of Numbers, 5-8 yrs
  • Educa Learn to Add & Subtract, 4-5 yrs
  • Orchard Toys Bus Stop– 4-8 yrs
  • Learning Resources- Big Cat Math, 6+
  • Haba- 3 Times 4=SWAT, multiplication game
  • Think Fun- Math Dice “Math Dice” Game (from ThinkFun) ages 8 and up
  • Lakeshore Regrouping Kit, Addition

Money-Related Games

  • Simply Fun- Bank It
  • Monopoly
  • Educa, Shopping Spree
  • Cashflow for Kids
  • play money and a cash register

Board Games

Card Games:

  • 1-2-3 OY!
  • Cribbage
  • Uno
  • Set
  • Yahtzee
  • 7 ATE 9
  • Rat A Tat Cat

Strategy, Spatial Thinking & Logic Games–

  • Quoridor (Gigamic Games) ages 8 and up
  • Blokus and Blokus 3D (from Sekkoïa)  ages 5 and up (2D version), ages 7 and up for 3D version
  • Carcassonne (from Rio Grande Games) ages 8 and up
  • Reflection (from Fat Brain Toys)- ages 8 and up
  • Set ages 6 and up

Games & Puzzles that Incorporate Math–

  • 24 Game ages 9 and up
  • Lost Cities (from Kosmos)- ages 8 and up
  • For Sale (from UberPlay) ages 8 and up

Math Activities:

  • Primary Skill Building Games & Activities by Dave Gardner
  • Primary Grade Challenge Math by Edward Zaccaro

Math Tutors: Coming soon

P.A.L. would like to thank Robert Berkman, Sian Zelbo, Frances Stern, Ron Lancaster, Sam Laury, Lauri Spigel and Andrew Sabatino for their great recommendations and website resources.

 

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