Top Mental Math Apps and Online Resources for Kids

Digital learning tools can turn number-crunching from a chore into something kids actually beg to do. Whether you’re a parent looking to sneak extra mental math online practice into the day or a teacher who wants engaging homework alternatives, the right app or platform can make all the difference. 

Below are eight standout picks—some long-time favorites, others newer arrivals—for building speed, confidence, and genuine curiosity about numbers. Each entry comes with two bite-sized paragraphs so you can decide which resource best fits your child’s age, goals, and learning style. Math Exercises For Kids

1. Prodigy Math Game

The fantasy role-playing world of Prodigy has captivated classrooms for years, and in May 2025 it was crowned the top “Math Game for Kids” by Expert Consumers for its blend of adaptive questions and epic creature battles. Learners defeat monsters by solving curriculum-aligned problems, while the game engine quietly tailors difficulty to keep them in the sweet spot between challenge and frustration. 

Beyond the quests and shiny rewards, Prodigy gives teachers and parents dashboards that track strengths, gaps, and time-on-task. A generous free tier covers the core math content, so kids can rack up XP without racking up fees, and the optional subscription simply adds cosmetic perks and more detailed reports. If your child is motivated by storylines and collecting mythical pets, this is often the gateway app that flips the “I’m bad at math” script on its head. 

2. Khan Academy Kids

Khan Academy Kids takes the not-for-profit ethos of its parent platform and distills it into a cheerful, preschool-friendly package. The app packs more than 5,000 interactive lessons—many of them math mini-games—without ads, paywalls, or surprises. Because the entire library is free, siblings can hop in on different tablets and progress independently. 

The design emphasises exploration: children might trace numerals with their finger, drag shapes into puzzles, or count fireflies to unlock a mini-story. A built-in adaptive system nudges them up or down in difficulty, while off-screen activities encourage practising counting skills away from the device. For families wary of subscriptions but eager for quality content, Khan Academy Kids is an easy first download.

3. Funexpected Math

If you have a curious three-year-old who already loves tapping and swiping, Funexpected Math meets them right at the toddler stage. The app offers more than 10,000 tasks across 675 lessons, using bright visuals and quick interactions to teach counting, shapes, and patterns—perfect for tiny attention spans. 

What sets Funexpected apart is its “digital tutor” that quietly notices a child’s pace and adapts in real time. Struggling with pattern completion? It slips in more practice. Racing ahead on number lines? It levels up. Parents can opt for a monthly or annual plan, and the absence of ads keeps the experience distraction-free. Consider it a gentle, game-like bridge between the tactile world of blocks and the more abstract world of written numerals.

4. DragonBox Numbers (and Big Numbers)

DragonBox built its reputation by turning algebra into puzzles; its Numbers series does the same for early arithmetic. Instead of rote drills, kids manipulate quirky “Nooms”—colorful characters that literally embody quantities. Merging, slicing, and stacking these Nooms helps learners internalize ideas like place value, addition, and decomposition long before formal algorithms appear. 

Once Number Sense feels solid, DragonBox Big Numbers pushes into multi-digit operations via a treasure-hungry monster who demands ever-larger piles of gems. Because the mechanics stay playful, anxiety stays low; children focus on strategies (“What’s the fastest way to make 47?”) instead of memorizing steps. It’s a powerful reminder that conceptual understanding can—and should—feel like play.

5. DoodleMaths

DoodleMaths takes an old-school idea—the daily practice sheet—and modernizes it with adaptive tech. Each day the app serves up a “7-a-Day” set tailored to your child’s recent performance. Nail all seven? Tomorrow gets harder. Hit a snag? The algorithm pulls in supporting questions to plug the gap. Parents see progress charts, while kids see streaks and prizes that encourage consistency. 

Because sessions rarely take more than ten minutes, DoodleMaths slots neatly between breakfast and the school bus or as a low-pressure homework supplement. Over time, those micro-bursts add up to a hefty boost in fluency, and the app’s UK curriculum roots mean strong alignment with many international standards.

6. SplashLearn

Formerly Splash Math, SplashLearn blends bright animations with a massive library—1,900-plus games and quizzes spanning pre-K to grade 5. Children choose islands, earn sea-creature companions, and tackle skills from basic counting to early geometry. A built-in rewards shop lets them “buy” accessories with the virtual coins they earn by answering correctly, reinforcing effort and persistence. 

What teachers appreciate most is SplashLearn’s real-time adaptation: the moment a learner hesitates, the platform inserts scaffolding questions or visual models. Home users can toggle grade levels, making it handy for summer review or gentle acceleration. Meanwhile, the teacher dashboard offers printable worksheets for offline reinforcement, bridging app time and pencil-and-paper time seamlessly.

7. WuKong Math

WuKong App is newer to English-speaking audiences but already popular across Asia for its live, game-style classes that run from first grade into the competition levels of middle school. Learners join small cohorts, solve challenges on a shared digital whiteboard, and earn badges that unlock within-app adventures. The blend of synchronous instruction and game design keeps even hesitant students speaking up and showing their work. 

Flexible pricing tiers let families book stand-alone practice sessions or longer courses focused on Singapore Math, Olympiad prep, or mental-arithmetic speed rounds. If your child thrives on social energy and real-time teacher feedback, WuKong offers a middle ground between a purely self-paced app and a traditional tutoring center—without having to leave the living room.

8. Math Games – Brain Training

Not every resource needs cartoon mascots. Math Games – Brain Training, highlighted by SIP Abacus in May 2025, goes straight for rapid-fire fact fluency. Timed drills cover everything from number sequencing to multi-digit multiplication, with the difficulty scaling automatically so the next round is always just a bit tougher than the last. 

The clean interface appeals to older elementary kids (and even parents) who want a no-frills workout for the brain. Performance stats show average response time and accuracy trends, turning improvement into a visible, motivating graph. Add it to a daily routine—five minutes before dinner, perhaps—and watch calculation speed climb week by week.

Bringing It All Together

Every child connects with math in a slightly different way: some need story-driven quests, others crave live interaction, and a few simply love beating their own speed records. Whichever app or site you choose, remember the goal isn’t just faster arithmetic but stronger number sense, strategic thinking, and a feeling that math is something they can master. Spread sessions out, discuss strategies aloud, and celebrate aha-moments along the way.

With the right balance of structure and fun, these digital tools can turn everyday screen time into a stealth lesson in mental math for kids—one castle siege, dragon egg, or lightning-round drill at a time. Keep experimenting until you find the mix that makes your young learner’s eyes light up, then watch the confidence spill over into classroom tests and real-world problem-solving.