Common Sense Note
Parents need to know this site is true to its name; it's jam-packed with math problems disguised as truly fun games. Created by a math teacher and educational consultant, there is nothing fluffy found on the site. Games that require specific and complex skills, succinct tutorial videos (made by students), logic puzzles, beginning programming, and an amazing supply of word problems are all here. If kids need practice in specific concepts, they may need help finding the right section to focus on. This site requires the latest Flash Player and Java software; functionality will be missing if you don't have these. Google ads are on every page, though aren't distracting.
Families can talk about the Google ads. Browse through some of them to show how they're sprinkled with words that are related to content on each page to entice the user to click on them. Help kids to recognize the underlining for an outside link (also point out how the ad's and site's font style are often similar to blend in). Families can walk through what to do if an ad is accidentally clicked on and kids are taken off-site.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Dana Cotter
It might feel like playtime, but kids will get a real brain workout at MATHPLAYGROUND.COM. Simple to complex math problems are cleverly disguised as puzzles, kid-focused word problems, and concepts illustrated with graphics. Not all of the content is in game format however -- drill and practice computations are plentiful, and video tutorials walk kids through math problems with voice-over and whiteboard-type demonstrations. Kids can send in a math problem they'd like to see in a video with just their name (first name and last initial), age, state, and a description of the problem. Timed flashcards and a template for making printable worksheets can also be found on MathPlayground.com. Due to the amount and variety of content on this site, parents may want to help kids pick a section that is relevant to their specific math skill interest or need.
Fans looking for more fun-filled math related sites may also enjoy MathCats.com for the younger set or CoolMath.com for the older set.
Reviewed: 12/05/2007
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CommercialismMath- and game-related Google ads are throughout, but aren't too distracting. |
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Educational ValueMath practice through games, flashcards, computer generated models, video tutorials, and much more. |
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