need something like Xtra math, but without

[SparklyUnicorn]

the insane time constraints

 

Anyone have any suggestions? 

[Spryte]

Listening in.  DS hates the time constraints.

[EmilyGF]

Oooh, time constraints... my daughter hated the competition of Race the Teacher. She does Operation Math now (a spy game style) and loves it, but that still has time constraints.

[Chelli]

Race the Teacher brought tears around here.

 

Reflex Math has been a godsend! Worth the $35 a year subscription price for sure. It does have timed things on it, but for some reason they don't bother Grace at all like Race the Teacher on Xtra Math did.

[Soapy]

Race the Teacher brought tears around here.

 

Reflex Math has been a godsend! Worth the $35 a year subscription price for sure. It does have timed things on it, but for some reason they don't bother Grace at all like Race the Teacher on Xtra Math did.

 

Yes, this was true for us too.  Tears with Xtramath, happiness with Reflex.  If you're buying more than one subscription, there's a HSBC deal for it.

[mmasc]

Math U See website has a very simple, basic drill of facts. You can set the parameters for what facts to drill. I don't think there is a timer, but maybe a little *ding* after a few seconds. I just turned the volume down and DS didn't know.

[mohini]

Apparently you can adjust the time on Xtra math to make it longer. Somebody posted about it on here a couple of months ago. I'll dig around and see if I can't find the thread but maybe in the meantime someone else can chime in to give details - I've never actually done it.

 

ETA - here it is --   http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/526436-getting-additionsubtraction-facts-down-xtra-math-not-working/?p=5897318

[redsquirrel]

I was able to make the time go longer, but I don't remember how. We haven't use x-tra math in forever...hmmmm

 

My younger kid is quite competent in math but FLIPS OUT when given a time constraint with anything.

 

ok, so I sign in as the parent and I go to my kid's account, where I can edit child info etc. There is a choice on the left called "change program" and on that page there is a drop down menu. I picked "extended" for multiplication etc. It gives 6 seconds per question. I don't think my kid ever hit the limit, which is good.

[cintinative]

My youngest had tears with Xtra Math AND with Reflex (unfortunately).  However, he does like Big Brainz (aka Timez Attack). It doesn't have a clock anywhere and although it is obvious there are time constraints it looks a  lot more like a real video game, so that sort of eased it. Honestly though I have not found anything to solve this time problem. =(

[mohini]

My youngest had tears with Xtra Math AND with Reflex (unfortunately).  However, he does like Big Brainz (aka Timez Attack). It doesn't have a clock anywhere and although it is obvious there are time constraints it looks a  lot more like a real video game, so that sort of eased it. Honestly though I have not found anything to solve this time problem. =(

What about a game like Zeus on the Loose?

[cintinative]

What about a game like Zeus on the Loose?

Tell me more! I haven't heard of that!

[Vida Winter]

Khan Academy is great - and free! You can set your "mission" to a grade level.

[Farrar]

Tell me more! I haven't heard of that!

 

It's a card game. Cheap. Fun. You try to build up to 100. There are other games too that practice some of those skills... Rat-a-Tat-Cat, 24, Muggins... but I don't think it replaces something like xtramath, which is really throwing tons of facts at you to practice all the time.

[mohini]

Zeus on the Loose is a game game ;) not a video game  -

 

It's a card game the object is to "catch" Zeus - There are a bunch of rules - but the whole game is basically doing addition facts

 

http://www.amazon.com/Gamewright-233-Zeus-the-Loose/dp/B000GKD470/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414549553&sr=8-1&keywords=zeus+on+the+loose

 

There's also Muggins

http://www.amazon.com/Muggins-Knock-Out-Wooden-Math-Games/dp/B001HTBOSK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414549601&sr=8-1&keywords=Muggins

 

and Shut the Box (which is pretty easy to make)

http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-4377-Shut-the-Box/dp/B000Y0K6RI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1414549710&sr=8-2&keywords=shut+the+box

[mohini]

It's a card game. Cheap. Fun. You try to build up to 100. There are other games too that practice some of those skills... Rat-a-Tat-Cat, 24, Muggins... but I don't think it replaces something like xtramath, which is really throwing tons of facts at you to practice all the time.

 

I agree - it's a supplement - but it will build up math skills so that Xtra math etc... won't be so painful. You can also look into the CLE Flashcard system - which is Cheap and VERY VERY spiral. The +/-  cards are letter coded and there are instructions that tell you which days to do which cards so that you gradually build up facts while repeating old ones. It's very effective if a bit... old fashioned. But it doesn't take long each day and it's not timed. 

[kirstenhill]

I'll suggest trying that longer time limit on xtra math too.  The "regular" program just produced frustration here but the 6 second program is about right for both my 7 and 10 year olds.    DD really loves it now, and DS7 occasionally has a bad day that leaves him in tears, but MOST days he is excited to see his progress.

 

I wish there were a website or app for facts drill with counting up timers instead of counting down though, where the goal is to beat your record or strive for a particular goal.  My 7 year old DS would love that, but we haven't found one yet.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I'll suggest trying that longer time limit on xtra math too.  The "regular" program just produced frustration here but the 6 second program is about right for both my 7 and 10 year olds.    DD really loves it now, and DS7 occasionally has a bad day that leaves him in tears, but MOST days he is excited to see his progress.

 

I wish there were a website or app for facts drill with counting up timers instead of counting down though, where the goal is to beat your record or strive for a particular goal.  My 7 year old DS would love that, but we haven't found one yet.

 

Oh wait there is a way to set it to have a longer time limit?  Did not know that.

 

I really am looking for something that he can do on his own.  We have tons of math card/board/etc. games. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I can't seem to find an option for a longer time limit on Xtra math.

I'd prefer no time limit at all. 

[kirstenhill]

If you log into the parent dashboard, you click on "change program" on the left. The longer time limit ones are called "extended six second..." addition, multiplication, etc. The bummer is that they are basically starting over and lose any score they already have. It was worth it for my kids to start over because they hated it before and hadn't made it very far on the regular program.

 

A big difference for my kids was also input method. Trying to type numbers on the keyboard was way slower than using the mouse and clicking on the big numbers on the right side of the screen. I just realized they have an iPad app, so we might give that a try too.

[Haiku]

My son HAAAAAATED Xtramath. It was very anxiety-inducing.

 

He LOOOOOOVED Timez Attack.

[SparklyUnicorn]

If you log into the parent dashboard, you click on "change program" on the left. The longer time limit ones are called "extended six second..." addition, multiplication, etc. The bummer is that they are basically starting over and lose any score they already have. It was worth it for my kids to start over because they hated it before and hadn't made it very far on the regular program.

 

A big difference for my kids was also input method. Trying to type numbers on the keyboard was way slower than using the mouse and clicking on the big numbers on the right side of the screen. I just realized they have an iPad app, so we might give that a try too.

 

Ah ok.  I wondered what that meant. 

 

Thank you.

 

 

[Rachel]

One thing that has helped my son is to cover the dots and smileys at the bottom of the screen on the assessment section. He was so caught up on seeing if he could answer before the smiley that he couldn't focus in answering the question. That doesn't help in Race the Teacher though.

 

The 6 second option does help too.

[redsquirrel]

I guess I don't worry too much about the time and tell my kids not to worry about it either. They do Xtramath first every day. I tell them to focus on accuracy instead. Who cares if you have to punch in the answer after the time ran out? I admit---improvement is slow...but steady. It took ds a whole week to improve one point, but we all high fived over it this morning. FYI-- it also helped when we figured out we could get rid of Mr. C's face by clicking the square in the lower left. They much prefer seeing just the numbers.

 

I agree with you, but my son does not. I have told him again and again that the timer doesn't matter, just ignore it,  etc, but he is enough of a perfectionist that it causes him lots of stress.

 

I promise, if it were simply a matter of telling him to ignore it, or not care, it would no longer be an issue. It's not like that hasn't come up, lol. He is constitutionally incapable of ignoring it. As he gets older it gets better because I constantly address coping with both my perfectionist kids, but I can't ignore his real stress either. Increasing the time to 6 seconds has made a huge difference. He's never run out of time and there is no dread with xtra math.

 

If every session of xtra math ends with him in tears and me with my head in my hands saying "Honey, just ignore the timer. It doesn't matter. No one is judging you, this is just to help you with your math" then we aren't going to do it very often, are we?

[SparklyUnicorn]

I guess I don't worry too much about the time and tell my kids not to worry about it either. They do Xtramath first every day. I tell them to focus on accuracy instead. Who cares if you have to punch in the answer after the time ran out? I admit---improvement is slow...but steady. It took ds a whole week to improve one point, but we all high fived over it this morning. FYI-- it also helped when we figured out we could get rid of Mr. C's face by clicking the square in the lower left. They much prefer seeing just the numbers.

 

That's what I tell my son too.  At first he seemed ok with that, but he gets more and more worked up.  And now when I ask him to go do it he starts freaking out before he starts.

That is definitely NOT something I want!

 

I'm sure I'll figure something out. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I just can't seem to catch a break though.  It's hard for me to do everything.  KWIM?  So to have something to say ok go off and practice that and I don't have to do it...

 

 

[Amy M]

I wish there were a website or app for facts drill with counting up timers instead of counting down though, where the goal is to beat your record or strive for a particular goal.  My 7 year old DS would love that, but we haven't found one yet.

 

I have an app called FlashToPass that counts how much time 20 flashcards took. You can set it to level or just review a certain times table for example. I like it, but I like xtramath better. Xtra math computes which problems my child is weak on and reviews those more. I really like that. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

We love the Splashmath app - no time constraints!

 

Which one do you have?  I'm looking for it on Amazon, but I can't seem to find one other than 1st grade. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I have the one for the iPad, all five grades. It's expensive, especially for only a single student (each needs their own account, it doesn't do multiple students which is the biggest drawback for us) but well worth the money and highly customizable.

 

I noticed even the iPhone version was more limited in grades and didn't include a multipack for all five grades. I'm just assuming they haven't written compatible versions yet for that many devices and are still rolling them out, but can't say for certain.

 

Hm...I did see some of them on Amazon.  I'll see what I can find.  I don't have an iPad.

 

I have only one student who needs it.  And actually I really only need multiplication. 

 

Although after all the practice lately, I'm starting to think we won't need it for much longer.

[zarabellesmom]

I'll suggest trying that longer time limit on xtra math too. The "regular" program just produced frustration here but the 6 second program is about right for both my 7 and 10 year olds. DD really loves it now, and DS7 occasionally has a bad day that leaves him in tears, but MOST days he is excited to see his progress.

 

I wish there were a website or app for facts drill with counting up timers instead of counting down though, where the goal is to beat your record or strive for a particular goal. My 7 year old DS would love that, but we haven't found one yet.

QuickMath and QuickMath+ apps both count up with no penalty for taking a long time. (Believe me, my daughter can take a loooooooooong time.) it tracks your time and shows you if you are improving on a bar chart. My favorite thing about the apps are that you just write the number on the screen with your finger and it knows what you mean. So if it flashes 5+3 and you draw an 8 of any size anywhere on the screen then you are good to go.