Amazing Apps: Smartick

Smartick is a website designed for 4-14-year-old kids to make math fun. It usesscientifically designed games to (created in partnership with MIT) help kids strengthen their math skills. The program continuously adapts to the level of each user, encouraging and supporting them through positive reinforcement.

 

It takes just 15 minutes a day, and can be completed anywhere kids have access to a computer or tablet.

 
The Results Speak for Themselves:

• 94% of Smartick students improve their mental calculation and agility
• 83% of Smartick students improve their grade in math, and half improve in other subjects

I had a chance to try out the site, since I'm a math teacher and really enjoy trying out new tools that I can recommend to my students.

There were some definite pluses. The games were visually appealing, and the suited themselves well to my children's different abilities - challenging enough to help them learn, easy enough that they weren't frustrated by tons of mistakes. It's also available as an app for iOS or Android, making it easy to do anywhere.

The biggest downside is the price - although that's not necessarily something that should keep parents from trying it. Depending on the pricing and number of children, it ranges from $25/month/child to $50/month/child. If you're willing and able to strengthen your child's math skills on your own, that can be a lot. However, if you're looking at tutoring plans, depending on your area, the monthly cost is almost certainly less than even an hour or two with a tutor or tutoring center.

The best part? You can try a free trial to see if it's right for you!