Making Math Fun With Smartick {A Curriculum Review}

When Smartick first came up as a review, I was immediately intrigued. Math is one of those subjects that I really want to ensure my children have success in – and any program that promises help in a fun way is one I want to know more about. Initially, though, the older kids had no interest. So when we first started using our 6-month subscription to the Smartick program, it was just my 5-year-old… the one who really doesn’t have gaps yet. However, things quickly changed when the older kids saw just how much fun their little sister was having with this online math program.

A Different Approach To Math

Upon receiving sign-in instructions, I quickly set up our account and added my youngest daughter. I was a little worried that this program might now work well for her. Still in kindergarten, her math is very low-key on purpose. At this age, I don’t want to put a lot of pressure on her and instead simply let her be little for a few more years.

After setting up our accounts, I sat her down for her first lesson. Always excited to do anything that makes her feel like a big kid, she was thrilled to sit down at the computer and begin. She chose her avatar and her first lesson began.

Smartick approaches math in a unique way. Instead of assuming a child is at a certain level based on their age or grade, the program instead reacts to what your child is doing. This means that as a parent, I need to stay out of the way. My job is simply to let her answer the question to the best of her ability. Some of the questions were easy and she worked through them quickly. Others were more challenging and I simply encouraged her to try her best. Some problems had an “I don’t know option” and I pointed that out when I knew she needed it.

And for some of the problems, the challenge was simply in the terminology used so, for those ones, I did help a little. When the problem asked her to pick the pile with the greater number of objects, for example, I told her that greater meant more. I knew she understood the concept of more or less, we simply hadn’t covered greater or less yet.

After finishing her first lesson she was thrilled. It was only 15 minutes long, and for her, mostly enjoyable. Her excitement had the other kids, kids who I thought would benefit from Smartick more than her, wondering if they could participate in this math program that resembled fun and games more than work.

Adding In Additional Students

It’s every homeschooler’s dream to have their kids begging to work on a new math program. One that states it can help identify gaps, build confidence, and teach all with minimal parental involvement.

Oh, and did I mention it only takes about 15 minutes a day to do all of this?!

So I did what any reasonable homeschooler would do – I added the older kids! Now, with a 5-year-old, a 9-year-old, and a 14-year-old, we could really see how the program worked.

In a word, fabulously! With three kids using the program, we had to start using a timer otherwise the kids would be on the program far too long. While the lessons themselves are only 15 minutes long, the kids are able to play games, challenge other students, buy pets and other items for their virtual homes, and check out the classroom for lessons. After completing a lesson, my kids would hurry on over to the virtual world for fun and excitement, spending their virtual currency (Ticks) or saving up for larger purchases.

In fact, math became one of their favorite subjects to work on during the day. Instead of having to cajole the kids into working on math, I instead found myself kicking them off the computer so someone else could have a turn or reminding them that their timer was going off.

Smartick Might Be Fun, But Does It Work?

That’s the question you are asking yourself at this point, right? The short answer, in my opinion, is yes. Through short lessons that are interactive and responsive to your children, Smartick reacts in real time to how your child is progressing through the program. This means that the program is working with your child to give them plenty of problems to boost their confidence while building their skills.

And anytime we can teach math with cool math games for kids, I’m on board! Math is a key subject that I know my kids will need every day in their adult lives, so it’s one we want to lay a great foundation for.

Parents can check their student’s progress either by logging in to the Parent Page or by opting to receive email progress reports. I chose the reports, and each day I would receive an update on each child. These reports told me the type of problems my kids worked on, how many they got correct and incorrect, and what their reaction times were. Quick and to the point, these reports helped me track how each child was progressing.

Best used 4-5 times per week, I noticed an improvement within a short time. The kids loved Smartick so much, it was easy for them to use daily in place of their regular math program. Each of the three kids had their own login information and unique account access. With no books to have to keep track of, or pencils to locate, it was as simple as remembering their password.

After a few lessons, the program was able to see where each child was in terms of their current math skills and then react by giving them a good mix of problems that were slightly easier than they could handle, problems that were right on par with their skills, and problems that would challenge them. When they had additional assessments, Smartick would send me an email and let me know.

Smartic Customer Service

For me, this was something new. Rarely do I deal with an actual person when working on a digital review, but twice now I have had the opportunity to interact with someone from the Smartick customer service team.

The first time, was about a week after we had signed up for the Smartick free trial. This is something I almost always do before signing up for a review if a free trial is available. However, after just a few minutes on the program the child I wanted most to use Smartick felt the program was too babyish and I could see where she was coming from. Even though Smartick is for kids ages 5-14, the program is definitely designed with a younger audience in mind.

The first call was a great one though. The rep stated they noticed we had signed up a single student and only used the program for a few minutes. Friendly and polite, she listened while I explained that I was checking the program out for a potential review.

The second call came about 3 weeks into the review period, and again the rep was polite and courteous. She asked if we had questions, wanted to know how the kids were doing, and genuinely listened to my answers. I never got the feeling that she was trying to sell the program, simply that she wanted to be sure we were finding it helpful and using it in a way that the kids would get the most benefit possible.

I did ask them about grade levels – since Smartick doesn’t use them. The answer is simply because they are a worldwide company, so grade levels will vary globally. By using ages and a reactive algorithm, Smartick can assist students without them feeling like they are behind or ahead in any way.

Smartick – A Great Way To Make Math Fun!

We have been using Smartick in our homeschool, and our primary math program, for about 5-weeks now. We started with just one child and quickly added two more. Since the program works best when the kids work independently, as a parent I just sat back and watched. This was different for me, and some days it was a struggle – especially when I watched one of the kids put in an incorrect answer.

Yet, that’s precisely what Smartick needs to be as successful as possible. The program responds to the answers my kids give, adjusting the lesson in real time. And for students who aren’t yet reading, the program has an option to have the questions read to them. Most questions are read automatically, but if they need to hear it again they can click on the speaker symbol.

Covering everything from counting to numbers, fractions to decimals, and geometry to logic, Smartick offers a wide variety of elementary and middle school level math problems. Reactive to your student, the program works with the child, instead of telling them they must do this lesson next. Created without grade levels, your students can hone their math skills without the pressure of keeping up.

For us, Smartick has been a wonderful experience. This online math program is one that is truly fun and put together well. It both challenged and encouraged my children while working to identify and fix any gaps or weaknesses they may have had. Frequently, the kids would shout happily when they earned a record or reward, and always let me know how many Ticks they earned during their lessons. And with plenty of encouragement built into the program, it’s easy for kids to get excited about doing well in math.

Whether your student is progressing well in math or having issues in a few areas, Smartick is worth checking out. At just 15 minutes per day, it’s easy to add in to boost your child’s skills right alongside their current math program. Or, like us, you could use it as a change of pace. One that is fun, engaging, and rewarding, boosting not just skills, but my children’s confidence in their own math skills.

Want To Know More About Homeschool Math?

Be sure to check out the entire homeschool math section or read these math curriculum reviews:

• 5 Helpful Tips For Choosing Your Homeschool Math Curriculum
• Math Frustrations Solved with These 7 Proven Tips!
• Exploring A New Homeschool Elementary Math Curriculum From Apologia

Read additional Smartick reviews here