One App at a Time – Motion Math Hungry Fish App Review

From www.motionmathgames.com  comes this description of Motion Math Hungry Fish:

“Your fish is hungry – hungry for numbers! This fun addition and subtraction game for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch has instant addition: touch two numbers together to instantly add. Most addition games teach in the form 3 + 4 = __; Hungry Fish challenges players to find different ways to make a 7 (1+6, 2+5, 3+2+2, etc.). There’s 18 levels of challenge (for 4-year-olds to adults) and bonuses to customize your fish with new colors and fins.

Screen shots from http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/motion-math-hungry-fish/id483049169?mt=8.

App:  Motion Math – Hungry Fish

Ages – 4 years-adult

Cost – Free, in app-purchases .99 to 8.99

4-1/2 out of 5 stars

Motion Math – Hungry Fish is a high-quality math game that provides drill-type learning in a fun and fast-paced environment.  I loved this game because there is an age-appropriate level for everyone in my family from my 3-year-old to my accountant husband.  There are three skills covered in the paid version:  Addition, subtraction and negatives with two environments to choose from for each skill.  Each environment in the paid version has 18 skill levels which automatically advance as you work through the game.  This adds up to a whopping 108 unique options with each new game generating a new set of numbers.     

I love this game!!!  The features are very easy to understand and manipulate.  How to Play, Parent Guide, Options and About are all very well-documented, an unusual feature for most of the apps available.  Lots of screen shots and clear directions make this game easy to navigate.

A high score screen allows multiple players, in our case siblings and Mom, to keep track of their point – great for this competitive family.

Controlling the bubbles is very easy, the settings seem to be exactly right where the screen is sensitive but not too sensitive to the players touch.

This is a great way to drill addition, subtraction and negative fact families, and you’ll be amazed at your child’s (and your own) increased mental math speed and accuracy as they work their way through the boards.  This game requires players to think ahead and keep the available numbers in their working memory as they pair up numbers to match the fish’s number.

I gave this 4-1/2 out of 5 stars because although the value, concept, quality, efficacy and ease of use are all high, from the first level and environment to the last, the action is the same; only the numbers and environment are different.  I don’t think that will dissuade very many users from getting hooked on this great way to practice math.

For the free starter version of Motion Math – Hungry Fish, go to :  http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/motion-math-hungry-fish/id483049169?mt=8.

J is for JELLY BEANS

Okay.  So we ate way more jelly beans than we counted.  Who’s keeping score?  The fine motor exercise alone was worth the effort of this activity, not to mention the early math skills we practiced.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the free printable counting chart, click http://wordsofhisheart.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/counting-board.pdf.  You can use this chart either horizontally or vertically.

Counting by the Squares – All-Purpose Counting Board

Here’s an idea I’ve been throwing around for a while.  I wanted a board for Noah to use to help him grasp the concept of numbers increasing in value as you move up the number line.  A horizontal progression doesn’t seem to capture the essence, so I thought I’d try a vertical number line.  You can actually use this board either way.

Counting Board pdf

Process:  Counting Board

Supplies Needed: 

1. Counting Board printout (laminate or print on cardstock if desired)
2. 15 small objects for counting (buttons, marshmallows, poker chips, etc.)

Process:  Have your child place one object on the 1 square.  Count outloud, “One.”  Now, move over to the box on the right of the 1.  Have your child place one object in that square and one object in the 2 square above it.  Count the objects from bottom to top, “One, two.”  Continue in this fashion until your child has worked his way up to five.  For reinforcement, now go back and say the numbers “1, 2, 3, 4, 5,” only pointing to the squares with numbers in them.

If you prefer a horizontal progression, follow the same technique, but move up the page rather than to the right.