The best things in life are free!
I’m a big fan of online paid maths websites such as Ten Marks, Maths Whizz and The Maths Factor, they offer well structured maths materials with great parent feedback. However, there are some great free maths resources out there, that provide a respectable alternative to paid maths websites, for those of you who are willing to mix and match, or who don’t need all the features of a paid program.
Here is my list of 8 high quality, free maths websites, that you can use today to support your child’s maths learning, without having to get out your credit card!
1) Free maths and Free Rice
Freerice.com is a non profit website run by the United Nations Food Programme, which donates 10 grains of rice for each multiple choice question your child (or you) get right. Subjects covered are maths, English grammar and vocabulary, art history, goegraphy, science and 4 foreign languages. As Freerice says on their website “ WARNING – his game may make you smarter. It may improve your speaking, writing, thinking, grades and job performance” The math is quite basic, starting with simple addition questions, going up to multiplying fractions,decimals and percentages at Level 10, its highest maths level, but it’s a nice way to practise basic skills.
2) A free maths podcast presented by The Math Dude
Jason Marshall, a research scientist at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is the “Math Dude”. In his podcasts he gives explanations and tips and tricks for a wide range of maths topics. The Math Dude’s Top 5 podacsts include; How to Explain Patterns with Math, How to Use Math to Send Encrypted Messages and How to Convert Decimals to Fractions. Listen to this fun podcast on the Math Dude website or download it in iTunes.
3) A completely free complete maths curriculum delivered by Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a not for profit website containing over one thousand, 10-20 minute maths instructional videos, from Basic Addition to Calculus. Salman Khan, a Mathematician, Computer Scientist and former Investment Manager, teaches each lesson in a relaxed and friendly way with his Tablet blackboard. As well as the Khan Academy You Tube videos, there are online exercises which students can use to practise the skills they have learnt. The king of free maths resources!
4) Maths games and revision at BBC Schools Primary and BBC Schools Secondary
The go-to-place for UK parents looking for free curriculum games. The Primary sections has high quality educational maths games accompanied by lesson plans, and a guide to how the topic fits into the curriculum; as well as links to further material and worksheets. The Secondary site takes each topic for 11-16 year olds and provides “bite size revision” notes, an activity and a test. Essential material for when exams are looming!
5) Maths puzzles and challenges from the mathematicians at NRich
NRICH is a website run by my old Faculty of Maths Education at the University of Cambridge. It provides engaging and challenging maths materials designed to develop mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills. The materials are divided into levels with each challenge presented in a meaningful context. Will your child rise to the challenge?
Bonus: In the “Ask NRich” forum, students can ask a mathematician any maths question and get guidance on how to solve it
6) A compilation of free maths games at Maths Zone
Maths Zone is a directory with links to hundreds of free online maths games, divided into topic areas. The variety of games offered for each topic means that your child should be able to find a game that they like, in order to practise their maths skills. Ignore the garish graphics and enjoy the huge range of maths games available.
7) High-tech maths video games at Manga High
Brought to you by Dr. Marcus du Sautoy OBE, Professor of Mathematics at University of Oxford, and his team, Manga High offers graphically rich maths games aimed at teenagers. Using exciting contexts within timed games, students answer questions in order to unlock higher levels and increase their position on the Leaderboard. 9 of the Manga High games are offered on their free package.
8) Free maths for Australians at Maths Online
Thanks to McDonald’s Australia, who are the sponsors of this site, Maths Online provides online animated lessons as well as online and printable worksheets for Australian students. My children are currently using the similar paid version for non Australians at Conquer Maths. Maybe it’s time to emigrate! Maths Online covers maths topics for students aged 11-16 years old. The parent dashboard enables you to keep track of your child’s results as they progress through the program.
Have you tried any of these free maths resources before? Which one is your favourite? What great free maths resource have I missed out? Tell me in the comments below!
Love your ‘freebies’ list! I’ll be adding them all to my browser’s favourites’ pages so the children can spend 10/20minutes each day, on any or several of these pages. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Merry! That’s a nice way to use the list! Children (especially teens) like to have choices. Presenting them with these 8 different ways to consume maths is a great idea!
Excellent list of math aids. My wife will be using these with our two grandsons.
Great that your wife with your grandsons. Do pass by again and share with us which sites they liked! Thanks for visiting!
Fantastic list. This should make school work more interesting.
Yes Robin, Maths Zone, Khan Academy and Maths Online all have their material grouped into topics so you can link the work with what your child is currently studying at school.
I wish I had access to websites like yours when my son was in school. It would have been a great help.
IMAGINARY offers a series of free math and art software (mathematical painting, create incredible math surfaces) etc. that are a lot of fun and very easy and intuitive to use. And… you can even make your own Math and Art exhibition at home, submit your pictures at competitions, etc.
http://www.imaginary-exhibition.com
(and without noticing you enter the world of algebraic geometry, differential geometry, etc. – stuff that goes even further than in any school curriculum).
Hi Andreas,
Thanks for sharing the link. This looks like fun for those who love exploring the creative and artistic side of mathematics.
I have hundreds of links!
Your readers may find these of interest.
See the useful links page as well as the various posts.
Thanks Colleen – you’ve collected some great maths links on your website! Thanks for sharing!
I listen to The Math Dude while working out – he’s so fun!
Thank you so much for sharing this informative post. informational posting for student who are searching for Math help. you are fantastic writer specially on blog publishing.
Here’s another:
http://www.onemathematicalcat.org
Dr. Burns was just a featured speaker at CAMT 2015, and she has her three talks available from the homepage—they give a thorough intro to her site. It has fully sequenced courses: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Precalculus, more. Every lesson (more than 350) has *unlimited*, randomly-generated online and offline practice. It has beautiful, correct math display using MathJax (the gold standard for online math. All free, no annoying pop-ups or sign-ins, and such. Dr. Burns responds to user comments/questions via email quickly. Enjoy!
With the number of maths site on the rise its hard to say which are the best maths site today. Free and Paid sites both provide a great value to students. I found the following sites very useful and often tell my students to explore.
http://www.grade5maths.com
http://www.ipracticemath.com
au.ixl.com