If you are tired of quarreling with your child because of scandals related to the phone and their addiction to it, then there are some tips for changing the situation.
Of course, the first thing a parent wants to do is limit the time they use their phone, or take their phone away completely, but unfortunately, this seems impossible, especially for the Alpha generation, who have been surrounded by gadgets from the very first days of their lives. Therefore, the most competent solution would be to take advantage of them, for example, math games for kids.
Try to understand your child that they simply do not know life without gadgets, because we are lucky to remember our childhood when phones were only push-button.
Differences from Adult Games
Math games for children are not just games for adults that have been changed, but they are created for how children learn and think, so their main goal is not just teaching math, but also making children enjoy math and feel comfortable with it, showing them that learning can be fun.
Visual Appeal
Adult games often have very complex graphics that focus on being real and having a lot of strategy, but games for children have bright and nice pictures, which have funny characters and feel very friendly, because the design keeps the children’s attention and makes them happy, so numbers and symbols become real things.
Emotional Reinforcement
Every time a child does something right, they get a positive reward, which might be a fun sound, an animation, or confetti on the screen, and this makes children feel successful right away, which makes them want to continue playing.
Simple Storytelling
While adult players can spend many hours on strategy or a very deep story, children need a simple story where a math problem is part of a small adventure about a space hero or a dragon, and this story gives the task a purpose so the child becomes a part of an adventure.
Instant and Clear Feedback
Unlike adult games that can have feedback that comes later, children’s games give instant feedback, so a right answer has a clear sign like a green checkmark or a happy sound, and a wrong answer has a gentle sign like a red “X,” which helps the child quickly see their mistake so they can fix it without feeling bad.
Flexibility and Adaptability
A good game for children changes for the player because if a child plays well the game gets harder, but if a child has problems the game can go back to easier tasks, and this dynamic difficulty is good because it stops the child from getting bored or upset.
Role in Learning
Adult games often use skills that people already have, but kids’ math games build new skills because they do not just test knowledge, as they also actively teach by using game features to explain new ideas, for example, a game can show how adding works by showing two groups of things becoming one.
Games for Kids with ADHD and Autism
Features for Kids with ADHD
Children with ADHD often have trouble paying attention and staying still, and they can have problems with impulses, so they need games that have a good structure.
- It is better to have many short game sessions instead of one long one, because this helps the child focus for a short time, which is a good and productive period.
- Games should give rewards very fast, because fast rewards help keep a child’s motivation and interest high.
- The game screen should be very clean, and you should avoid pop-ups or extra buttons, because the design must focus only on the main task.
Features for Kids with Autism
Children with autism often like things that are clear and always the same, and they can be sensitive to sounds and light, and they think in a logical way.
- Games must have a clear structure and simple rules that do not change, because this can be very calming for the child.
- You must use direct instructions and avoid idioms or hard words, because instructions must be direct and simple, and visual step-by-step instructions are very helpful.
- You should let the child change sounds, music, and brightness, because many children with autism are sensitive to these things, and being able to change them can help them feel better.
Game Examples
| Game Name | Description |
| Cosmos Door | This game is a fun trip through space gates, where you have to solve logical puzzles because each right answer opens a new level and helps you understand how numbers and shapes work together, and it is not about fast math but about deep thinking. |
| Star Trek | You are on a space adventure, and you must add numbers, but some numbers are hidden behind icons so you must remember these hidden numbers to win the game, which is good for your memory and helps with fast math skills. |
| Moon Lift | This game is a new kind of math puzzle because you are a moon lift engineer who must use numbers to make correct math equations, which helps you lift the moon lift and needs you to be creative and know how to build number sentences. |
| Rocket Order | You need fuel for your rocket, and the fuel blocks have math problems on them, so you must solve the problems quickly and then put the blocks in order from the largest answer to the smallest, and this helps you do fast math and compare numbers fast. |
| Space Order | There are many space objects that you must put in order from the biggest to the smallest, and the objects can be numbers or things, so this is a fun game that helps you compare sizes and numbers quickly. |
| Crystal Bonds | You are in a cave and you must find and connect crystals, where one crystal has a math problem and the other has the answer, and when you connect them they light up, and this game helps you see the link between problems and answers and is very fun and helpful. |
Logical Thinking and its Connection to Math
Logical thinking is about using facts to find a solution or make a plan, and math is a good tool for building this skill because it has clear rules and steps.
- Helps you with math because you learn how to take a big and difficult problem and break it into many small parts that are easy to solve one by one, and this is a very important skill that you can use in all parts of your life
- Helps you find patterns in numbers or shapes, and when you can see a pattern, you can guess what comes next, which makes it easier to solve problems and understand new ideas in math
- Helps you find what is missing from a problem, and this is a good skill that helps you see what information you need to find an answer, which is a key part of solving any math puzzle
- Helps you think about what will happen if you do something, so you can try an idea to solve a problem and then see if your idea works, which helps you learn from your mistakes and find the right answer
Offline Math Activities
Math can also be fun without a screen because you can use simple things at home to practice, and these activities can help you learn and play at the same time.
- You can use a regular deck of cards to play games that help you add or subtract numbers and to find the biggest or smallest number.
- Cooking and baking is a great way to learn about math because you can measure ingredients like flour and sugar and learn about fractions when you use half or a quarter cup.
- When you are at the store, you can practice with money by adding up prices of things in your cart and checking if you get the correct change.
- You can use building blocks to learn about shapes and patterns and you can also count the blocks you use to build a tower.
