Funexpected Math!

This activity set is unique and varied enough to help it rise above the overcrowded field of apps that claim to teach foundational math skills. So often these early math apps are repetitive, use tedious choose and tap formulas, and focus on the most rudimentary aspects of math like simple counting or basic shapes. Funexpected Math! does some of that, but it also gets creative with how the material is presented and how kids interact with it. Different activities have kids do different things which helps avoid much of the tedium so common in these kinds of apps. The games also introduce some not-so-common concepts like quadrilaterals in the shapes game or algorithmic paths. That said, not all of the activities shine to the same degree (the Egyptian patterns isn't the most complex), but in general there's a good amount here to engage kids' minds. Also, there are some loose ends that don't entirely get tied up. For instance, it's unclear what affect choosing your kid's age at the beginning has on the game experience. And once you've chosen, you can't change it or add a profile for an additional kid. It's also unclear what the relevance of the different countries is, and it feels a bit sparse to see just a few locations available on a map of the whole world. But overall these issues don't interfere too much with how the app functions or its potential as a learning tool. Perhaps the biggest downside is the subscription model, which can make Funexpected Math! relatively pricey over the long term, but with the promise of a new game each month, it might be worth it if your kid loves it.