Parents are always looking for an entertaining way to jumpstart their young offspring’s learning. In this review of Numbie, a basic math skills game for the iPhone and iPad, we take a look at the app that is designed to help your child learn and practice basic math skills with the use of entertaining puzzles and games.
Overview
Numbie is an app for the iPhone and iPad is designed to guide youngsters, aged 5 and under, through the Common Core Math Curriculum, starting with basic Kindergarten level math. The game guides the child through a number of lessons set in outer space, underwater, in an ice cream store, and more.
Chapter One in the free app focuses on basic Kindergarten Math, and once your child completes that level, the developers of the app say they should be ready to move on to later chapters, which teach Elementary School math.
While the first chapter is free, there is an additional monthly fee to access later chapters. $14.99 per month gives users access to all games and activities, all chapters and all skill levels on all of their iOS devices. The monthly fee will allow access to all current and future games and activities as they become available in the Numbie app.
Topics in the Tutorial Section of Numbie’s mini-games include:
- Arithmetic
- Numerals
- Number combinations
- Counting options
- Forms
- Color matching & Comparison
- Groups of figures
- Addition of objects
- Subtraction of objects
- Addition of numbers
- Subtraction of numbers
- Word puzzles
- Counting strategies and combinations
- Ones and tens
- Memorization
- Comprehension
- Usage
- Analysis
- Synthesis
- Evaluation
- Comparison
The game also includes a handy Parent Dashboard that allows parents to keep track of their child’s progress as they play their way through the app. The app allows parents to see where their offspring are performing particularly well, and where they could use some extra help.
I found the Numbie app to be fun to play, even if I wasn’t a youngster. (Sorry, I didn’t have any children available to try out the game. I refuse to adopt a child simply to review a game.) The game progresses through simple shape matching games, color matching games, and other simple types of challenges, increasing in difficulty slowly but surely as the player progresses through the game.
In later levels the child will need to match shapes and colors, as well as performing simple math involving ones and tens to complete the level’s challenges. The game uses colorful graphics, bouncy music, and fun narration to explain each game, as well as using it to cheer them on while playing and to congratulate them with the completion of each level.
I found the game a lively primer for early math, and I believe almost any child will be both entertained and educated by Numbie. The ever progressing levels challenge a player, but don’t make them feel bad if they don’t complete a level correctly. The child receives a gentle encouragement to try again if they don’t complete each task properly. Kids and parents will both find Numbie to be a valuable, and enjoyable learning tool.
Verdict
Numbie is a great app for parents who are looking to give their small-fry a jump start when it comes to Common Core Curriculum Math. The entertaining animations, music, and sound effects will encourage younger kids to play their way through the games, and they just might have so much fun they won’t even care if they’re learning something.
While the $14.99 per month subscription fee may seem high, the app does offer the first 14 levels for free, and they offer an excellent opportunity to discover if a subscription might be right for you and your child.
Rating: [rating:4.0/5.0]
Price: FREE – There is a $14.99 per month subscription fee to access later levels, games and content. I highly suggest downloading the game and playing through the 14 free levels to decide if the subscription would be worth it for your needs. Available for iOS devices in the App Store.
Pros:
- Entertaining sounds, and fun graphics and narration
- Easy to follow instructions guide the child through each task at hand
- Color and shape matching games gradually lead the child into performing simple counting and math problems
- Parent’s Dashboard to monitor a child’s progress
Cons:
- The $14.99 monthly subscription fee could be to expensive for many users
*Note: The above review was commissioned by the developer in accordance with our app review policy, and has been written in an objective, unbiased fashion.
