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What was your least favourite subject in school? Math? Yea, that’s what everyone says, except for maybe us. Well Osmo has just announced Numbers, a game that combines an iPad app and manipulatives. The game removes the need to complete worksheet after worksheet to practice a new concept, reducing anxiety levels, and aims give students a true understanding of the way the math works.
Numbers gives students the opportunity to practice multiple problems in one area such as addition without feeling dreadfully repetitive. Furthermore, it gives immediate feedback to the child as they work through the game, something that isn’t always available for children as they practice their math skills.
The game follows an under-the-sea theme, one that will appeal to both boys and girls. Children are solving math problems to help save fish that are currently stuck in bubbles, a feature that truly adds to the game-like feel of this math app. Integers first appear on the screen in the form of bubbles, and the child is required to use the number tiles in front of them to make a statement that equals to that integer. One of the strong points of this app is that there is always more than one right answer, a feature that helps to reduce anxiety levels. Children can use any combination of numbers and operations to reach the desired integer.
There are a few core features of Osmo’s Numbers that truly make it an excellent resource for teaching math. Numbers promotes math sense by using a trial and error approach. This allows children to grasp a specific concept through experimentation. This game also allows for collaboration. Children can help one another with the problems that appear on the screen, a feature that means children can teach each other. Numbers eliminates the stigma and fear of practicing math concepts with countless repetitive problems and allows children’s confidence in their math skills to grow as they progress through the game. This progression takes the child through a variety of skills, from counting dots to multiplication based on their current level of ability.
To play this game you require the base and the manipulatives. The base has two parts, the piece that holds the iPad in place, and the piece that sits on top of the iPad’s camera. This piece has a mirror so that the surface where the child is working is seen by the camera. The manipulatives for Numbers includes a variety square pieces with integers written on them and others with dots. Children have the option of using which they would like to use allowing them to start solving problems by counting and working their way to using the integers as they progress.
Oslo Numbers is a fantastic tool for any child to practice math. It can be used to learn a new skill, practice a specific concept, or get ahead and challenge themselves. It is available at playosmo.com with their Genius Kit ($129.95), which features the base and their other products.