• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

KinderTown

Helping parents engage in early childhood education with their kids.

  • Learning Activities
  • Education Blog
  • Educational App Reviews
  • About
  • Learning Activities
  • Education Blog
  • Educational App Reviews
  • About

Blog

3 Math Apps to Help Prevent the Summer Slide

Summer is here, but the learning shouldn’t stop. We have gathered 3 great apps that will help prevent the summer slide for your children in the area of math. These apps track your child’s progress and can be purchased on a monthly basis to supplement any curriculum your child has completed during the past school year.

Prevent the Summer Slide with These Math Apps

Todo Math

Todo in Spanish means “all” and is designed to inspire play with all the early childhood math concepts. Read the KinderTown review.

Todo Math is a free app designed to practice early childhood math skills. Todo in Spanish means “all” and is designed to inspire play with all the early childhood math concepts. It includes 20+ multi-level games. It has two different types of play: free choice and mission. In mission mode, the app gives a brief overview of each game and guides your child through each game one at a time. In free choice mode, all games are presented and your child chooses which one they would like to play. It includes multiple levels of math games and adaptive play, where the games automatically adapt to your child’s skill level. Other options for children are the Mathematical Missions, designed to motivate children to engage longer with the mathematical concepts. Parents, you can sign up for a parent account which will provide you with a more detailed look at how your child is progressing through the app. Compared to most apps, Todo Math does contain a worthwhile amount of free content practicing many different areas of math for children ages 3-6, or levels PreK-2nd grade. There are additional in-app purchases to access more content. The additional content would be beneficial to support your child’s math practice over the summer months and help prevent the summer slide.

myBlee Math

myblee

My Blee Math offers a wide variety of elementary math lessons on topics such as measuring line segments, working with money, mental math and multi-digit addition for students ages 5-8. KinderTown likes how the app gives initial instruction on a particular concept before the child is asked to practice or apply it. The instruction is given with a unique robotic-like voice. Another great feature is the use of “MyScript” technology that can identify a child’s handwriting as she writes her answer directly on the screen. Children will also find the use of the digital manipulatives which include movable rulers, blocks, protractors, etc. both interesting and helpful for solving problems. My Blee is an app that would benefit students who need additional practice with math concepts. The app offers communication to parents about their student’s progress through frequent emails. The app is free for 10 minutes each week. Subscriptions can be purchased for students who need more time per week for $9.99 a month or for $74.99 for a year.

Splash Math

splash math full

Splash Math is an interactive workbook style app where you’ll find all the math practice your child needs to reinforce what they have learned throughout the school year. There is a nice mix of multiple choice, fill in the missing pieces and choose an answer problems. Kids will find some questions that require reading, so parents will want to stick close when starting the app. Parents get complete customization of what math concepts and skills are presented to multiple children in the app. Splash Math comes in a variety of levels from PreK-5th Grade and reinforces math concepts learned during the corresponding grade level. You must purchase each level as an individual app for $9.99 and it includes the entire year’s worth of skill review.


Summer Creativity

Paper Bag Painting

Learn how to use a paper bag to keep art supply costs down.

My daughter loves to paint. She wants to paint every day, and paint supplies can become expensive. Today, I had a brown paper bag around, and it turned out to be the perfect canvas for paint because it is extra thick and stands up to the paint well. We used regular and glitter paints and different size brushes. She decided to paint a nature scene. This is a great way to spend a summer day!

Lazoo Art Box

Lazoo Art Box (iOS)

Lazoo Art Box is a fabulously creative digital coloring book for children ages 3-5. The app presents a child with a starting place for adding creativity to an existing scene or page in the coloring book. When your child is finished, watch the page come alive as the objects perform short animations. The app is extremely easy to use and kid-friendly. There are 3 interactive areas; Let’s Squiggle, Let’s Color, and Let’s Draw. For each area your child is prompted to draw with their finger and then press the Play button to view the animation. The app does a nice job of providing directions and vocabulary to accompany the picture. There are a variety of coloring tools provided at the bottom of the screen including stickers, markers, spray paint, and paint rollers for a variety of effects. There is also a blank page where children can create their own pictures. This would be a great app to keep on your phone to use when you are on the go this summer! Lazoo Art Box is $1.99 and available for iPhone and iPad.


Coding Gift Guide for Kids

We’ve recently talked about apps that promote coding skills, so here are some less techy gifts that will inspire that same higher-level thinking and problem-solving required for programming.

Hello Ruby: Adventures in Coding by: Linda Liukas

hello ruby

Hello Ruby is a captivating story about a little girl named Ruby who has to solve a puzzle. She is spunky and bold. She is given a map to solve the problem and must travel to different locations in an adventure world. Along the way she is solving different clues in order to gain the rubies she needs. The book is organized into chapters and each chapter includes a problem to solve and introduces a special character.  In the back of the book, there are activities to complete with your child that go along with each chapter and use the type of thinking skills presented in the chapter. For example, Ruby learns how to repeat the task of connecting sticks with rope to create a ladder, and uses that skill to solve the problem of reaching the ruby. Overall, the storybook is delightfully crafted and appeals to children ages 6-9, with parents interested in facilitating learning activities.

Robot Turtles: The Game for Little Programmers!

Robot Turtles

Robot Turtles is a board game for kids that revolves around the concepts of the Logo programming language. Players as young as 4 can dictate the movement of their turtle on the board by using cards that give commands to the turtle. The commands tell the turtle to turn, move forward, or side to side. The goal is for your turtle to reach its own jewel. The game has other components that can be introduced gradually once your child has a basic understanding of how the game works, such as obstacles, repeat cards, and lasers. These additional components make the game interesting and challenging for older children. Lastly, Robot Turtle has done a great job of making programming understandable for parents, and providing clear directions in the booklet that accompany the game. I especially appreciated the Quick Start Guide and the additional resources provided online. The game is well developed for parents as well as children.


>

Around the Kitchen: Closing Campfire

Summer Camp is for parents and kids to work together, exploring the world around you with activities that will take you outside, inside, and as far as your imagination will go! Learn more by reading the Welcome to KinderTown Summer Camp! blog post.

Thank you for participating in KinderTown Summer Camp!

We hope you found the week a valuable learning experience for your family. Please post your accomplishments on social media using the hashtag #KTcook.

Here is a printable certificate that you can share with your kids!

Here is a printable certificate that you can share with your kids!

Raddish Kids is offering a coupon for 25% off the first kit with purchase of a 3, 6, or 12 month membership. The code is KINDERTOWN.

Related Blog Posts

Around the Kitchen: Opening Ceremony
Around the Kitchen: App Connections
Around the Kitchen: Grab Bag
Around the Kitchen: Demme Learning Day


Around the Kitchen: Demme Learning Day

Summer Camp is for parents and kids to work together, exploring the world around you with activities that will take you outside, inside, and as far as your imagination will go! Learn more by reading the Welcome to KinderTown Summer Camp! blog post.

Make a Treat!

Math-U-See® is a complete K-12 math curriculum produced by Demme Learning. This unique program develops by level, rather than by grade, presenting mathematical concepts incrementally. Students use manipulatives at most levels to establish an understanding of the concepts, and then move on to solving problems until they have demonstrated mastery.

The kitchen is an excellent place for practicing real-life math skills. Young children can identify basic measurement tools and help with counting, while elementary level children can practice multiplication by doubling or tripling a favorite recipe with this printable.

Around the Kitchen Demme Learning Connection

Older elementary children can use division and fractions to halve a recipe with this printable.

Around the Kitchen Demme Learning Connection

Choose one of the following no-bake recipes (or find one of your own) and help your children sharpen their math skills in preparation for the upcoming school year.

RECIPES:

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Bars

15 graham crackers, broken up

3 tablespoons sugar

Pinch of salt

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1 11-oz. package butterscotch chips (about 1 3/4 cups)

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

  1. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil, making sure the foil extends up over the edges.
  2. Process graham crackers with sugar and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Pulse in butter until moistened. Transfer to lined pan and press crumbs down evenly and firmly.
  3. Place butterscotch chips in a large bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove and stir until smooth and creamy. (Do not overheat, or mixture will turn stiff.) Stir in peanut butter. Blend well and spread evenly over graham-cracker crust. Cover and chill until firm (1-2 hours).
  4. Lift bars out and remove foil. Use a sharp knife to cut into squares.

Chocolate No-Bakes

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Large pinch salt

1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.
2. Bring the sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally; then boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Add the oats, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt and combine.
3. Drop teaspoons of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and sit at room temperature until hardened.

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Preschool-Early Elementary: Tell your child which tool you need (measuring cup, teaspoon) and have him find that tool for you. Point out the relationship between the tools (ex., two half cups fill a whole cup). Have your child count as you add the correct number of cups, tablespoons, etc.
  • Elementary: Ask your child to double the recipe by multiplying each ingredient by 2. (You may need to help with any fractional measurements.) Then have him multiply the yield by 2 to predict how many bars or cookies he will have at the end.
  • Upper Elementary: Ask your student to halve the recipe. Depending on his ability level, have him divide by 2 (helping with the fractional measurements) or multiply by ½.

Around the Kitchen Giveaway

Take photos of your family enjoying a summer/cooking activity at home and upload them to social media with the hashtag #KTcook or upload them below to enter.

Raddish Kids is also offering a coupon for 25% off the first kit with purchase of a 3-, 6-, or 12-month membership. The code is KINDERTOWN.

Related Blog Posts

Around the Kitchen: Opening Ceremony
Around the Kitchen: App Connections
Around the Kitchen: Grab Bag
Around the Kitchen: Closing Campfire


Around the Kitchen: Grab Bag

Summer Camp is for parents and kids to work together, exploring the world around you with activities that will take you outside, inside, and as far as your imagination will go! Learn more by reading the Welcome to KinderTown Summer Camp! blog post.

KinderTown wants to let you know about a great resource we love, Raddish Kids. We love their family-friendly recipes and lessons that include learning about other countries and cultures, and measurement. Check out their awesome recipes with clear and simple graphics.

Enjoy these fun recipes from RaddishKids.

Around the Kitchen Giveaway

Take photos of your family enjoying a summer/cooking activity at home and upload them to social media with the hashtag #KTcook or upload them below to enter.

Related Blog Posts

Around the Kitchen: Opening Ceremony
Around the Kitchen: App Connections
Around the Kitchen: Demme Learning Day
Around the Kitchen: Closing Campfire

Raddish Kids is also offering a coupon for 25% off the first kit with purchase of a 3, 6, or 12 month membership. The code is KINDERTOWN.


Around the Kitchen: App Connections

Summer Camp is for parents and kids to work together, exploring the world around you with activities that will take you outside, inside, and as far as your imagination will go! Learn more by reading the Welcome to KinderTown Summer Camp! blog post.

Shiny Things Bakery

Help Alice the Zebra make cookies and cakes for her bakery. Your child will love cracking the eggs into the batter, counting out the milk bottles, and slicing the butter to put into the batter. Next mix it up with a random ingredient including wacky striped pants, a feather, or buttons. Next, decorate the cookies and cakes with virtual icing and share them with Alice and her friends. Be sure to divide the cookies up evenly, or your friends will be upset! The app is $1.99 and appropriate for children ages 3-5.

Duckie Deck Sandwich Chef

Read KinderTown's review of Duckie Deck Sandwich Chef.

Children will love creating virtual sandwiches with Duckie Deck’s Sandwich Chef. The app encourages creativity by developing different artistic creations as sandwiches. Children can be walked through the process of creating a specific sandwich, or design their own. The app is easy enough to use that children can navigate through the app independently. The app is $2.99 and appropriate for children ages 3-5.

WeCookit

Read KinderTown's review of WeCookIt.

WeCookit is a delightful children’s interactive cookbook. The simple layout allows children to choose a category of interest, then a recipe; with a simple swipe to the right, the recipe appears. For example, I choose the Sunshine Egg Rings from the Egg section of the app. Then parents and children can tap the “cook it” button to get started. The app then prompts you with a shopping list, the necessary tools, and step-by-step picture guide to make your recipe. The graphics are great for children, and the recipes are easy enough for young children to cook together with a parent. The app clearly marks where parental help should be gained, but we see this as an app that parents and children should always use together. The app is $2.99 and appropriate for children ages 4-8 with an engaged parent.

Around the Kitchen Giveaway

Take photos of your family enjoying a summer/cooking activity at home and upload them to social media with the hashtag #KTcook or upload them below to enter.

Raddish Kids is also offering a coupon for 25% off the first kit with purchase of a 3, 6, or 12 month membership. The code is KINDERTOWN.

Related Blog Posts

Around the Kitchen: Opening Ceremony
Around the Kitchen: Grab Bag
Around the Kitchen: Demme Learning Day
Around the Kitchen: Closing Campfire


Around the Kitchen: Opening Ceremony

Summer Camp is for parents and kids to work together, exploring the world around you with activities that will take you outside, inside, and as far as your imagination will go! Learn more by reading the Welcome to KinderTown Summer Camp! blog post.

This week’s theme is Around the Kitchen; download the weekly planner.

Download the weekly planner for Around the Kitchen.

Remember there is not one right way to conduct camp. Complete as much or as little as you can. We hope your family engages in many of the learning experiences we have laid out for the week, but the key is to do things together!

Be sure to post your accomplishments online by using the hashtag #KTcook. We’d love to know what you are up to! Check back on the blog each weekday to see what others have done, app connections, and additional activities.

Thanks for participating in KinderTown Summer Camp!

Around the Kitchen Giveaway

Take photos of your family enjoying a summer/cooking activity at home and upload them to social media with the hashtag #KTcook or upload them below to enter.

Raddish Kids is also offering a coupon for 25% off the first kit with purchase of a 3, 6, or 12 month membership. The code is KINDERTOWN.

Related Blog Posts

Around the Kitchen: App Connections
Around the Kitchen: Grab Bag
Around the Kitchen: Demme Learning Day
Around the Kitchen: Closing Campfire


 

Master Builders: Closing Campfire

Summer Camp is for parents and kids to work together, exploring the world around you with activities that will take you outside, inside, and as far as your imagination will go! Learn more by reading the Welcome to KinderTown Summer Camp! blog post.

Thank you for participating in KinderTown Summer Camp!

We hope you found the week a valuable learning experience for your family. Please post your accomplishments on social media using the hashtag #KTbuild.

Here is a printable certificate that you can share with your kids!

Here is a printable certificate that you can share with your kids!

Please join us next week for Around the Kitchen.

Related Blog Posts

Master Builders: Opening Ceremony
Master Builders: App Connections
Master Builders: Demme Learning Day

Next series: Around the Kitchen.


Master Builders: Demme Learning Day

Summer Camp is for parents and kids to work together, exploring the world around you with activities that will take you outside, inside, and as far as your imagination will go! Learn more by reading the Welcome to KinderTown Summer Camp! blog post.

Spelling You See® is a curriculum produced by Demme Learning and designed to guide students through the developmental stages of spelling. In the phonetic stage, students learn to associate letters and sounds by writing words. In later stages, students learn to spell commonly-used words by copying interesting passages and “chunking” (color-coding) letter combinations. These activities help students commit the correct spellings of words to memory.

Today, have your elementary-aged campers choose one of these two passages to read: The Transcontinental Railroad or Lalibela

Master Builders Demme Learning Connection

After your camper has read the chosen passage, help him think of a creative way to present the information to the rest of the family, such as:

  • Writing, directing, and presenting a play
  • Performing a dramatic reading of the passage, with props, if desired
  • Creating a slide show for the passage

If you have a younger camper, print out a copy of this activity page.

Master Builders Demme Learning Connection

Then read the passage to the camper and point out the following words:

  • The Transcontinental Railroad: men, spent, six, west, link
  • Lalibela: block, rock, cut, top, hill

Dictate the words for your camper to write in the letter boxes at the bottom of the activity page. (Note how the shaded boxes help with vowel placement.) Then have your camper draw a picture in the box at the top of the page to illustrate the passage.

Master Builders Giveaway

Take photos of your family enjoying a summer/building activity at home and upload them to social media with the hashtag #KTbuild or upload them below to enter.

Related Blog Posts

Master Builders: Opening Ceremony
Master Builders: App Connections
Master Builders: Closing Campfire

Next series: Around the Kitchen.


  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 13
  • Go to Next Page »

Copyright © 2025 KinderTown · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Demme Learning