When it comes to math, settling into a somewhat humdrum routine is often the norm for my family. Straightforward workbooks with little cause for imagination or play can become quite mundane after a while, leaving us craving an opportunity to mix things up. MathSharp Kids has created a line of math games that gave us just that; a fun, creative way to learn, practice and review math facts. AddSharp to the Pirate Treasure and Minus Sharp to the Lost City of Atlantis offer a new twist on learning addition and subtraction facts; Double Sharp Half Sharp provides a two-game-in-one introduction to multiplication and division by drilling both halving and doubling skills. 

Each game comes in a colorful and enticing game box that clues the player into the “challenge” of the game. AddSharp takes you to the sea on a quest for pirate treasure, Minus Sharp brings you below the surface to the lost city of Atlantis, and Double Sharp Half Sharp takes you up to the mountains and back again. Each game includes a detailed instruction booklet, score tracking cards, game boards, equation cards, markers, and timed maps. There is a standard time map for each game and an alternate map you can choose to use depending on your child’s current skill level. To play, you will also need a timer which is not included. You can use any available timer, such as a cell phone or a stopwatch. 

In addition to the games, both AddSharp and Minus Sharp offer companion workbooks with both a student and teacher edition. The workbooks are intended to be used as additional practice and skill-drilling after mastering the game. These workbooks include helpful strategies for adding and subtracting several numbers at one time in the student edition. In the teacher’s edition, you will find supportive teaching points, games, a glossary, and a complete answer key. All three games are available for purchase on the MathSharp Kids website. AddSharp is $39.99, Minus Sharp is $49.99, and Double Sharp Half Sharp is $51.99. The student and teacher workbooks for AddSharp and Minus Sharp are available to purchase separately for $20.00 each, or you can download the pdf version from their website for free! 
At the start of the game, the child is given a series of equations on cards. The child’s goal is to place the cards on the game board on top of the correct corresponding answer. Depending on what works best for the child, they can time themselves, or a parent can sit nearby and time them. Once they have placed all cards on the board, the time is recorded, and if they have reached their time goal, they can put a token on the map and move on to the next series of equation cards. Once all card combinations and time goals have been achieved, the player has mastered the game and can begin work on the student workbook, eventually moving on to the next board game. 

MathSharp Kids game uses a fun and entertaining approach. They use timed math drills to solidify basic math facts while working toward an exciting goal. My children love playing board games, so they were thrilled when I introduced a new math game to conquer. These games are meant to be played in order, each building on the last, so we began with AddSharp. The MathSharp games are all played individually, so I spent a little time one-on-one with my eleven-year-old son, ten-year-old daughter, and five-year-old daughter to move through the game at their own pace. Because my oldest son has already mastered his addition facts, he was able to complete every level of the game in one sitting. My eldest daughter also moved through the game quickly, needing only two sittings over two days to complete all levels. For my five-year-old daughter, who is still in the beginning stages of addition skills, this game was a challenge from the start. Even so, she genuinely enjoyed it, and I could see improvement clearly with each go around. I appreciate that the games are set up to be played at the child’s own pace, so there is no pressure to move on before you are truly ready and the child can master their skills thoroughly. 

Over several weeks, we replaced our math lessons with these games two or three times per week. My children looked forward to MathSharp days and began to challenge themselves more and more to beat their latest time. One of my favorite things about these games is that the child is playing only against themself, so they have a real opportunity to pull out the best version of themselves and continuously aim for improvement. 
My five-year-old daughter began with the alternate time map in AddSharp because she needed more time to complete each level. I was so grateful for that alternate map because she could have easily become frustrated and given up without it. She could earn markers and reach goals with more time, improving every time until she was ready for the standard time map. We are still working on AddSharp with her and will continue to do so until she has mastered her skills. She looks forward to moving on to the workbook and, eventually, Minus Sharp! 

My ten-year-old daughter moved through the Minus Sharp game over about three sessions and then moved on to the workbook. I allowed her to choose to complete her regular coursework or work on the MathSharp workbook during math time. Even though my eleven-year-old son had mastered the math skills in all three games previously, he still very much enjoyed playing each one, challenging himself to be faster and faster each time. 
Overall, the games were straightforward, simple to learn, and easy to play. The MathSharp instruction booklets were clear, to the point, and complete. The font was nice and large, and the pictures were helpful. I hope MathSharp Kids will come out with student and teacher workbooks for Double Sharp Half Sharp, as we found them extremely helpful for solidifying skill mastery. It would be wonderful to see additional workbooks for general review as an added resource as well.

MathSharp Kids games are an excellent resource for building basic math skills. I would recommend these games for young children to learn and attain skills. For older children, these games are a fantastic way to review and drill essential skills. The self-paced learning, skill-building levels, and goal-oriented challenges provide an excellent way to master essential skills while still having lots of fun learning!

-Product review by Danielle Lenz, The Old Schoolhouse® June 2023