As a TOS Homeschool Crew reviewer, I received a game. Yep, a game. I loaded said game after reading the box, the insert, and the comments about the game. Uh-huh, sure it will make math fun. I’ve seen this stuff before.... Ho, hum, math games… gee, fun.
However, my beloved offspring have demonstrated that the makers of The Quarter Mile Math actually know something about children!! We received the Deluxe Edition, which was Levels 1, 2, and 3 bundled together – that means it contains math drills for grades kindergarten through twelfth grade! Wow! You mean, I may not have to purchase an additional math practice software next year? Seriously, as a homeschooling mother, I can count on this program until my children graduate high school? Hmm…..
So, maybe the Barnum Software gurus are onto something.
We logged the kids’ names into the system, set one of them up, and off they went.
“Mom, is it my turn yet?” (Wow, is your sister actually hogging the educational software?!?)
“Mom, can I play the racing game?” (You mean the one that helps you improve your math skills?!?)
“Mom, can you put on the fractions one now? I like fractions!” (Uh, really? Since when?!?!)
That is just a sample of how well my kids liked playing games instead of doing paper drills or flash cards!
This software has a unique characteristic unlike anything I had seen before: the races are rigged so your child wins the first few times, then he races against his own best times. Talk about healthy competition! Your child gets to watch himself beat his own best score - and see his own improvements with his own childlike eyes!
My one concern was navigating the menus to get to the math practice options. The kids didn't know how to find what they were looking for because everything was listed under subjects that didn't necessarily explain what topics might be contained in the subject. For example, multiplication is listed under "Math Strategies" and "Whole Numbers." The problem with this is that Calysta was practicing multiplication under "Math Strategies" and getting frustrated because she didn't know all her multiplication facts, but we didn't realize for quite some time that she could practice just her 7s if we went to the "Whole Numbers" topic. The best advice I have for parents with this program is this: keep the "Topic List" sheet that comes with your product very handy. Keeping the kids from getting frustrated is almost as important as getting them to practice their math facts!
To see what other TOS Homeschool Crew Members had to say about this entertaining and engaging way to get your kids to practice their math, click here.
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