Online math games are a great resource for parents and teachers. They provide an interactive medium for children to learn, apply and intuitively expand their math skills. Designed to make the learning process fun, most online math games incorporate visual and sound effects in order to capture and retain the attention of a child.http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/about.htm

Difficulty levels are normally placed within the games on an incremental scale.http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/about.htm This so as to provide a challenging environment for the child; rewarding achievement for those tasks that were accomplished, while not being discouraging in unsuccessful efforts. This is with the goal to incentivize the child to progress with their math skills at their own cognitive pace, using a fun and stimulating environment, with an attainable set goal in mind. Accessibility to online math games normally requires registration; some are based on paid subscriptions, while others are free of charge.

With a wide variety of choices available, selecting the online math game that is best for your child is a decision that may overwhelm some people at first; however, applying some base criteria can facilitate this process.

Age

Select an online math game that is designed for the age group of your child. Most are categorized from toddlers all the way up to high school level students.

Skill Level

It is also important to present your child with an online math game that suits his or her current skill level. You do not want to select one which is unchallenging due to its simplicity of task, while likewise, you do not want to select one which is above their current math skill set so as to make it frustrating for them.

Most online math games categorize their selections by grade level. Note however, this can vary greatly from site to site, so do not feel pressured to select a third grade level for your child merely because he or she is currently in the third grade. It is acceptable to select levels that are above or below their current grade, as long as it truly matches your child's present skill set.

Active Engagement

Every child has a unique personality, a unique set of interests and level of curiosity. Even if an online game suits his or her age and skill level, you must also look at the degree of active engagement that the game has for your child.

The interface, the design scheme, the sub-plot to the game, the speed, even the visual and sound effects are determining factors in this. Basically, it has to grab and hold the attention of your child, exciting, and not boring him or her.

Progressive Challenge

You should also gauge the level of progressive challenge offered by the online math game. Make certain that the game offers a steady level of progression in difficulty, coupled with rewards for achievement. These rewards could be points that the game offers the player, or different screens as the child progresses, similar to a video game, anything that your child can equate to a recognition of effort.

Also make certain that the game does not discourage continuity. Having the ability to initiate the game from the last level of successful competition is often best; as compared to having to start the game from the lowest level each time. It may sound like a good opportunity for the child to review his or her math skills if they start from the beginning each time, but in reality it can lead to boredom and abandonment of the game.