What is MathRider?
A simple computer software, you install it on a single device and can add multiple user profiles. We set it up for our 5th grader to practice multiplication and division and for our 8-year-old to practice addition and subtraction. You can pick how hard the game is, as well, with the difficulty settings.
There is also a practice run mode where kids can get used to the controls and how the game works without it affecting their score.
What is gameplay like?
It's surprisingly simple. The kid doesn't have to "control" their horse at all. It just rides along the bottom of the screen automatically, so the kids only have to focus on typing in the answer to the math problems that appear in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. If the child can type in the answer and hit "enter" before the horse gets to the obstacle, the obstacle is cleared
If the child can't get the answer typed in on time, or the answer is wrong, the horse won't be able to clear the obstacle. The math problem then appears above the horse and rider, with a voice reading out the problem with the answer for them. This visual/audio reinforcement helps them to learn the problem, even if they get it wrong.
What do I love about MathRider?
First, it's incredibly simple. My 8-year-old often has problems trying to find the numbers on the keyboard, and no time is wasted in trying to "control" the horse or rider. He can focus on math.
There are, however, some gaming "themes" in the software that helps him feel like he's playing, not just learning. There are awards and background music options that are unlocked as a child progresses. You can set the difficulty harder when they do well. As the difficulty increases, the horse speeds up. Kids who clear levels as the horse goes faster earn more points. It's gamification at its finest, and I was pretty impressed with how simple it is.
Plus, this is a completely offline game. Install it on one computer and play anytime. There's no access to the internet to worry about. You will need to install on a PC or Mac. Chromebooks running on the Chrome OS, tablets, or smartphones are not supported at this time.
Pro tip: When we first tried this game, we had problems getting the bottom of the game to show up; make sure your computer display resolution is set to "recommended" and at "100%". When we got our brand new computer, it was set to 90% for some reason, and it cut off the bottom of the game where the math problems appear. You may have to play around to get the resolution right for this game, but it's a simple fix.
Learn more:
You can see more about this game's price and offerings at the publisher's website. You can also find them on social media:
Learn more from other parent reviewers here.
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