Road Test: Splash Math apps and website make maths fun for kids

Children need to master mathematics to develop clear, logical thinking. But success in the subject takes training. That's why teachers encourage students to practise maths problems to ensure they understand the concepts.

As a tutor to grade school students, it's sometimes a challenge for me to find the appropriate material.

Mass-produced workbooks containing practice assessments that cover the full range of skill sets are helpful to gauge where a student might rank. But if students need help on one specific topic, I often struggle to find the material they need.

Splash Math is a cross-platform app that makes maths practice accessible to parents, and fun for children. It does not pretend to teach children how to do maths, and that's what sets it apart from other maths apps. It just provides the practice environment.

There are three different environments within Splash Math, on the app and on the online version. Users access the account either as student users or parents. Student users can choose the skill set they wish to practise within a gaming environment.

The game is presented as a multiple choice problem and the correct answers earn a coin which can then be exchanged for "stickers" to collect animals in a virtual aquarium or zoo. Game play is the same for all levels. This makes it easy to understand, but it could get tedious if you use it for a few years.

Adults will find the parent dashboard the most useful. Splash Math is able to provide reports that show critical performance measures, so there are no more guessing games as to what Junior is or is not able to do.