Review by Mieke VanderBorght, Common Sense Education | Updated October 2015
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Doodle Math: Numbers

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  • Download from App Store

Hone expertise in numbers 1 to 10, from basic to complex

Subjects & skills
Subjects
  • Math
Skills
  • Critical Thinking
Grades This grade range is a recommendation by Common Sense Education and not the developer/publisher.
Pre-K–1
Common Sense says (See details)
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Not yet reviewed
Price:  $2.99
Platforms:  iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

Take a look inside

6 images
Tap the egg to play games at random or tap the pictures to choose for yourself.
For each game, kids can choose to watch a tutorial that clearly demonstrate how to play, or tap play to jump right in.
Match numeral to quantity.
What number do you get when you take one away from eight?
Drag items to their pre-set spots on the bus to partition numbers.
Complete 10 tasks in a row and get a randomly-assigned puzzle piece; collect 10 for each of six creatures.

Pros: Games approach number concepts from a variety of angles.

Cons: Some games lack the scaffolding necessary to help more complex number concepts click for young kids.

Bottom Line: With a little extra support, a good pick to help kids work toward fluency with numbers 10 and under.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

Doodle Math: Numbers can be a fun way to reinforce number concepts. Though kids do collect puzzle pieces for completing 10 tasks in a row, the games don't follow any real progression, so this app can be easily handed over from one kid to the next. Let kids explore freely, but keep an eye on them when they try to do more complex tasks like partitioning, ordering, and adding and subtracting. Kids shouldn't have much trouble figuring out the task, but they, especially younger ones, will likely need some help making the number concept crystal clear. Bring the same concepts off the screen with blocks or other classroom items. Arrange them from biggest to smallest, arrange groups from most items to least items, divide groups of blocks into smaller groups, and add and take away blocks to see what happens. Or, get kids moving around by giving each a card with a numeral and have them arrange themselves in numerical order.

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Standards:

Doodle Math: Numbers has six games in which kids identify, trace, count, partition, arrange, and add and subtract numbers 1 through 10. When kids finish 10 tasks in a single game during a single session, they get a puzzle piece. Keep playing to collect enough pieces to complete pictures of the little creatures that appear throughout the games. Games can be played in any order, though there's a vague sense of increasing sophistication if kids start at the beginning and proceed in order.

Cute mini-games are nicely presented and, if played in a certain order, build in complexity. For example, start with a basic introduction to number names and quantity. Then, practice writing numerals. Next, match numerals with the correct quantity, and arrange items (both numbers and objects) in order from biggest to smallest. The final two games explore partitioning numbers (e.g., 5 can be broken down into 2 and 3) and adding and subtracting one item from a certain quantity. Some games may not provide enough scaffolding for the target age range; for example, it can be hard for young kids to start counting up from 3 (rather than starting at 1), and there's no explicit guidance for the partitioning and simple arithmetic games. Kids may get the game, but the number concept can easily fly over their heads. There are also just a few design issues and quirks that some may find charming, while others may find them annoying. The narrator's sweet encouragement can quickly turn grating, and some word choices are a bit odd; for example, what makes the creatures "naughty"? All in all, Doodle Math: Numbers provides good numbers practice in an appealing package.

Overall Rating
Engagement Is the product stimulating, entertaining, and engrossing? Will kids want to return?

Cute little creatures accompany kids as they explore numbers in a variety of engaging activities, though there's lots of repetition.

Pedagogy Is learning content seamlessly baked-in, and do kids build conceptual understanding? Is the product adaptable and empowering? Will skills transfer?

Kids explore numbers 0 to 10 in six activities that cover basics like tracing numerals and counting, as well as more complicated concepts like addition and subtraction.

Support Does the product take into account learners of varying abilities, skill levels, and learning styles? Does it address both struggling and advanced students?

Number activities are just right for early learners, though the lack of explanations may mean kids miss the learning message.

Common Sense Reviewer
Mieke VanderBorght Researcher
About our ratings and privacy evaluation.

Key Standards Supported

Counting And Cardinality

  • K.CC.2

    Count forward beginning from a given number within the known sequence (instead of having to begin at 1).

  • K.CC.3

    Write numbers from 0 to 20. Represent a number of objects with a written numeral 0-20 (with 0 representing a count of no objects).

  • K.CC.4.b

    Understand that the last number name said tells the number of objects counted. The number of objects is the same regardless of their arrangement or the order in which they were counted.

  • K.CC.4.c

    Understand that each successive number name refers to a quantity that is one larger.

  • K.CC.6

    Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group, e.g., by using matching and counting strategies.1

  • K.CC.7

    Compare two numbers between 1 and 10 presented as written numerals.

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