Parents' Guide to

Math Cats

By Jean Armour Polly, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

An array of open-ended math activities.

Website http://www.mathcats.com/
Math Cats Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this website.

Community Reviews

See all
age 4+

Based on 1 parent review

dhudlow
dhudlow Parent of 6-year-old
March 20, 2011
age 4+

Ok for educational content, but not engaging

The content is not particularly engaging
See all 1 parent review

What’s It About?

Did you ever try to balance a fat cat with a donkey? It can't be done unless you try the magic scale at MATH CATS. There, you can multiply and divide what's on each side of the scale until balance is achieved. Try it with the planet Earth vs. a pyramid. There are plenty of hints and ideas to explore the relative weights of these unusual items. Next, try your hand at creating a virtual mobile. Click and drag to adjust the size of the arms, vertical strings, and weights.Then experiment with polygons, symmetry, and tessellations in the \"Math Crafts\" area, and -- with a special free browser plug-in -- explore MicroWorlds of interactive math (or art?) activities.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (2):

Wherever you go in Math Cats, it all adds up to creative, well-designed fun. The site is both educational and entertaining, which could help kids who aren't very fond of math grow to like the subject a little more.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the skills used in the games on the site can be applied to the real world and everyday life. Do activities like the ones here make math more fun? Why or why not?

  • Help your kids recognize instances when you use basic math in everyday life: while cooking, driving, or paying for an item with cash.

Website Details

  • Subjects: Math: addition, fractions, geometry, graphing, money, multiplication, shapes
  • Skills: Creativity: making new creations
  • Genre: Educational
  • Pricing structure: Free
  • Last updated: November 15, 2019

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended website lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate