Free kindergarten math games: counting, make ten, and adding within 10 and 20

What kindergarten math practice looks like in Pipalo

Each game is a few minutes long and focuses on one small skill. A correct answer helps your child’s pet grow, which gives them a reason to try one more round.

• Counting to 5. In Number Tower and Treasure River, the first level asks your child to find a number by counting dots, then drop a tower floor or steer a boat to it.
• Adding within 10. The Math game shows two groups of cars meeting on a road and asks how many there are altogether. Your child types the answer on a large number keypad.
• Make ten. One step of the Math game uses pairs that make 10, such as 7 + 3 and 4 + 6, so your child sees the same total built in different ways.
• Adding within 20. Higher levels move to sums up to 20, including problems that cross ten, such as 8 + 5.
• Taking away. If you choose, cars drive away instead, turning the round into a subtraction question: “3 cars drive away. How many are left?”

Help that doesn’t just give away the answer

When a child answers incorrectly, the Math game helps in steps. First it encourages another try and repeats the question aloud. Next it gives a hint such as “start with 6 and add 3.” Only after that does it show the answer.

A success with help still counts. It gives the pet half a step of growth instead of a full step, so asking for help is never a dead end, and solving it alone is still worth a little more.

Choosing the right level

In the free parent app, choose Kindergarten as your child’s age group and Pipalo suggests matching games and levels. You can change them at any time. For the Math game, choose a range (up to 10, up to 20, or up to 100) and addition only, subtraction only, or both. Number Tower and Treasure River have three levels: counting to 5, adding within 10, and adding within 20.

A tip many parents find useful: start one level lower than you expect. Early wins build confidence, and it is easy to move up.

Tips for playing together

Kindergartners often enjoy math games more with a grown-up nearby, especially at first.

• Play the first round together and count the dots or cars out loud.
• After the game, count real things: spoons on the table, steps to the door, or cars in a parking lot.
• Ask “how did you know?” instead of “is that right?” to hear how your child is thinking.