Because Free is Good.

Free Math Education Programs

The cool site wearing a dull mask is the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives. These are free java programs designed to teach and reinforce math skills. The target audience is all kids K-12, but college students and parents would enjoy this site, too. Organized by topic and grade, it is easy to find programs at the right level for your class, your kid or yourself. The programs include classics like Mastermind as well as less well known games like Circle 0, Circle 3, Circle 21 and Circle 99. These latter games practice addition with counting number, integers, decimals and big numbers. ALso included are programs exploring more recent areas of math like fractals, the Mandlebrot set and chaos. A fantastic and free addtition to the classroom or to keep your kids busy on the computer learning something other than how to kill as many virtual enemies in as short a time as possible. Not that there is anything wrong with that...

Cyberchase Rocks

A popular PBS kids show is Cyberchase. In each epsiode, three friends enter a virtual world and have to out think the bad guy, Hacker, using math skills. On the show's website, at "Games Central" is a great collection of math games. Each game teaches one skill in the first to fourth grade math curriculum. Wide ranging in topic, the games cover statistics, graphs, pre-algebra, geometry and logic. Warning: Exploration required. The games are not titled or organized to help you find a game on particular topics. You will have to play them and see what you like and what fits your needs in the classroom or home. If you're a kid, just get in there and play!