The Top 5 Free Internet Math Sites for Elementary Students

The Internet is a great resource for parents, offering thousands of websites full of information about every topic under the sun, including math. The problem many people have with this information overload is choosing the best websites to meet their needs. Let a certified teacher make it simple for you: here are my top five free Internet math sites suitable for young students:

www.aplusmath.com

This easy-to-navigate site makes kids feel right at home with an online game room, flashcards, homework helper, and online worksheets. Parents and teachers can print out worksheets on a variety of math topics as well. Sponsors and ads are kept to the side and bottom of the screen, where they are clearly visible but won't distract users. With a concentration on the four basics-- addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division-your child can create a solid math foundation with aplusmath.com.

www.coolmath.com

This website can be visually overwhelming to adults, but most kids are drawn to the black background with bright, neon colors and dancing numbers that follow your mouse as you move across the screen. The games are designed for elementary learners, and with so many different games to choose from, your child should have no problem being entertained while memorizing those all-important, yet traditionally boring, basic math facts. Older students find learner-friendly instruction with handwritten notes and colors on topics ranging from Pre-Algebra to Geometry.

www.aaamath.com

The ads and sponsors can be distracting on this site, but hey-that's what makes the site free. Aaamath.com makes up for it with comprehensive topics and detailed tables of content on math subjects ranging from addition to statistics. Look at the top of your lesson page-you'll find tabs for practice, play, and exploration for every subject. The index makes it easy to search for those topics, as well. This is a great site for specific math needs for every age.

www.mathplayground.com

Here is a site equally user-friendly for parents and kids. There are plenty of games, puzzles, and problems to explore, all of which are easy to find. There are pre-made worksheets suitable for kindergarten through 5th graders that can be printed out for off-line work, and some very cool online applications (like Manipulatives and Thinking Blocks) to help kids understand topics. It's a great site for the elementary set, no matter what math level the student is on.

www.primarygames.com

This site combines math and the familiar: Pac-Man, solitaire, Sudoku, and Dora the Explorer all make an appearance, making math games accessible for young learners. Kids who are familiar with online game applications like those found at Pogo or Bigfishgames will relate to these games quickly and easily. Soon your child will be racing to beat their best score on mini golf, even if they do have to add to do it!

These are by no means the only math websites out there, nor are they the only good ones. A search engine will help you find more if these don't meet your needs, but I'm betting one of them will. Each of these sites is easy for parents and kids to navigate, and spending as little as ten minutes a day playing math games can greatly increase your child's understanding of math concepts, as well as improve their grades. Check them out!