Games of Math 4--Division and Fractions is a wonderful program designed to help elementary students master these higher-level math skills. This software is not a teaching tool, but it should be used as a supplement, as it is meant to provide practice for children who are already learning about division and fractions. A parent can either use the CD-ROM each time to load the program or install it onto a hard drive. There are Pre-Tests and Post-Tests provided for each skill level, so that you can see how well your child is mastering the skills. Two games can be played immediately so that the child can practice and be rewarded. Practice sections are also offered in which the child is drilled on the facts. As a motivational tool, gold stars are earned as the child goes along. There is a teacher/parent section that includes instructions for using the program, along with a user's guide that contains lesson plans that can be downloaded in PDF format.

This program was designed for classroom use, but you should have no problem adapting it for use in your homeschool. The interface is very easy to use, and once a child has been shown how to go through the program, he can do it on his own. As the parent, you can go in and lock certain features and sections so that your child will be forced to work only in the areas you dictate. The target group for this software is 4th grade and up, but it is appropriate for younger children who are learning about division and fractions on a higher level. Division practice uses divisors of 1-12 with quotients of 1-12 and optional remainders. Fraction practice consists of simplifying fractions, improper fractions, equivalent fractions, comparing fractions, and adding fractions. You can choose the difficulty for each of these skill subsets. As your child progresses and has mastered those games and practice sections, harder games will be unlocked for him to play.

Help Me 2 Learn Company has done a great job of combining superior educational content with excellent graphics, sound, and entertainment. In doing so, they have created software that is hard to beat. Children who use this program will not feel as though they are doing schoolwork, because the information is presented in such an engaging way. Students will be motivated to continue moving up to higher levels, much like many video games they play. My daughter is not ready for this particular program yet, but every time I loaded it up to look at it, she came running over to the computer. She wanted to be able to "play" this game! Next year, I will be pulling this software off the shelf for her to use as she begins to learn about the concepts of division and fractions. I love that I will have the ability to monitor her progress and allow her to go back and practice skills she has not yet grasped.

The software being produced by Help Me 2 Learn goes above and beyond what others on the market are presenting. The creators have put real thought into how this software can be used in a classroom while making sure it can be used at home as well. I recommend Games of Math 4--Division and Fractions to all homeschool families who have children who are working on these particular areas in math. I also highly recommend that families check out the other wonderful titles that the Help Me to Learn Company offers.

Product Review by Jenny Thompson, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, March 2010