Two children can spend the same twenty minutes a week on math and get very different results. Often the difference isn't talent or effort. It's how the practice is set up.
Researchers have studied this closely, and a few simple changes make a big difference. None of them need special materials or more time. Here's what works best, and how to try it at home.
Why this matters
Psychologists reviewed the research on ten popular ways to learn and rated how useful each one is. Only two earned their top rating: practice testing, which means answering questions from memory, and distributed practice, which means spreading practice out over time. Both worked for learners of different ages and abilities (Dunlosky and colleagues, 2013).
Rereading and highlighting, which most of us grew up with, rated low. For a young child doing math, that means answering questions beats looking at worked-out pages, and a little several times a week beats a lot at once.
Five things that make practice work
1. Short and often
Practice spread over many days is remembered longer than the same amount of practice crammed together (Dunlosky and colleagues, 2013). Spacing also suits young children's attention. A few fresh minutes are worth more than a long session where the last half is spent fidgeting.
2. Answer from memory
Every time a child pulls an answer out of memory, it gets easier to find next time. That's why answering questions works better than reading a times table or watching someone else solve a problem, and why it's how math facts become automatic. Ask first, wait, and let your child try before you help.
3. Mix it up
Many workbooks practice one kind of problem at a time: a page of adding, then a page of subtracting. Mixing kinds together feels harder, but it helps children remember and learn to choose the right method. In a trial in 54 seventh-grade math classes, students whose practice was mixed scored 61% on a surprise test a month later, against 38% for students who practiced one kind at a time, using the very same problems (Rohrer and colleagues, 2020).
4. Mostly right, with a little stretch
Practice should be hard enough to make a child think, but easy enough that they succeed most of the time. A review of research on effective teaching suggests that about 80 percent right during instruction and practice is the best rate for learning (Rosenshine, 2012). If your child gets most answers wrong, the work is too hard for now. Step back to something they can do, then build up.
5. Feedback right away
Children learn most when they find out quickly whether they're right, and what to fix if they're not. Specific feedback ("look at the tens again") tends to help more than general praise (Hattie and Timperley, 2007). Kids need lots of practice with feedback, not just more practice.
Where kids get stuck
- The weekend cram. An hour on Sunday feels productive, but much of it fades by Wednesday.
- Same problem, twenty times. A page of one kind of problem can feel easy without building lasting memory.
- Too hard, too long. Practice where most answers are wrong mostly teaches a child that math isn't for them.
- No feedback. A whole page done the wrong way, checked days later, teaches the wrong way.
Make practice count
- Pick a regular moment. After breakfast, in the car, before screen time. Five minutes, several times a week.
- Ask, don't tell. "What's 8 + 6?" then wait. Let them answer before you help.
- Bring back an old skill. Mix in a problem from last week or last month next to today's.
- Watch the success rate. If they're getting most wrong, make it easier. If they're getting all right, add a little challenge.
- Check as you go. Tell them right away whether they got it, kindly and specifically.
- Stop while it's going well. Ending on a success makes tomorrow easier to start.
How Bobby's Math Club can help
Bobby's Math Club brings these research principles to life, which is why I use it with my own kids every week. Here's what the club offers:
- Short and often. About five minutes at a time, easy to fit in.
- Answer first. Your child answers each question, with a hint one tap away if they want it.
- The right level. Practice where your child succeeds often, with a little stretch, moving up as they're ready.
- Feedback after every answer. A quick celebration or a gentle second try, and a short explanation when they're stuck.
- Progress you can see. Plain-English emails tell you what your child practiced and what to work on next.
Questions parents ask
What is the best way for kids to practice math?
Short sessions several times a week, answering questions from memory, mixing different kinds of problems, at a level where they get most answers right, with feedback right away. These match what research finds works best.
How long should my child practice math at a time?
Research doesn't give one magic number, but it's clear that short, frequent practice beats long, rare sessions. For young children, a few focused minutes, several times a week, is a good place to start.
Is it better to practice a little often or a lot once a week?
A little, several times a week. Practice spread across many days is remembered longer than the same amount done all at once.
Should my child practice one skill at a time or mix them up?
Start with one skill while it's new. Once your child knows it a little, mix it with other skills. Mixed practice feels harder but leads to better memory and helps children learn which method to use.
How hard should math practice be?
Challenging but doable. A common guide from research on effective teaching is about 80 percent right during instruction and practice. If your child gets most answers wrong, step back to something easier.
Are math worksheets good practice?
They can be, if they're at the right level, mix different kinds of problems and get checked quickly. A page of one kind of problem that's marked days later is less helpful.
How does Bobby's Math Club fit in?
Your child practices about five minutes at a time, at the right level, answers each question themselves and gets feedback after every answer. Every question is read aloud, and unlimited practice is free for Pre-K through 5th grade.
Research behind this guide
- Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1).
- Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1).
- Rohrer, D., Dedrick, R. F., Hartwig, M. K., & Cheung, C.-N. (2020). A randomized controlled trial of interleaved mathematics practice. Journal of Educational Psychology, 112(1).
- Rosenshine, B. (2012). Principles of instruction: Research-based strategies that all teachers should know. American Educator, 36(1).