Lola's Math Train is an iPhone and iPad app designed to help children 3-7 years old develop basic math and arithmetic skills. The difficulty level ranges between simple number recognition, basic inequality (which number is bigger), and elementary arithmetic. Lola's Math Train turns learning into a fun experience and has a positive impact on kids' puzzle solving skills.
Lola's math train has three different difficulty levels: Easy, Medium, and Hard. The easy level is focused on identifying numbers, solving puzzles in the shape of numbers, identifying which boxes have the most squares, and ordering groups based on smallest to largest.
These are great games, but I'm not happy with the feedback given when an answer is wrong. For example, in the above screenshot, the child is asked to identify the symbol that is not a number. If s/he chooses 4, Lola says "four" and the incorrect sound is played. I think it'd be better if Lola said "This is the number four. Which one is not a number"? This tells the child not only the name of the symbol, but that it's classified as a number. It also repeats the question for children who may not be able to read, yet.
Level two features more questions about connecting numbers with the number of items in a box, puzzles in the shape of two digit numbers, counting, arranging from smallest to biggest, and identifying the largest number in a group of numbers.
Level three introduces basic arithmetic, ordering numbers, patterns, and picking pairs of numbers that sum to a given number.
When answering an arithmetic question correctly, Lola very quickly repeats the answer and then the equation. There isn't a long enough pause between the answer and the equation. For example, for 1+4=4, Lola will say " four one plus four equals 4" without any pause between "four" and "one". This can be confusing for kids.
Overall, the game is well made, has fun music and sounds, and keeps the attention of my daughter even though she's technically way too young to use it.
The good
- Well made
- Fun for kids
- Interactive
- Engaging
- Great content
- Universal for iPhone and iPad
The bad
- Would like to see more informative feedback when getting an answer wrong
- Lola will repeat some things (like equations) unnaturally with no pausing
The bottom line
Lola's Math Train is a great app for preschool kids to begin learning about numbers and basic arithmetic. Although there are a couple things I'd like to see changed, it's still a good app in its current state and is bound to not only be fun for you child, but also very educational.
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