If you've ever stood over a worksheet wondering whether any of this is actually helping, you're not alone. Parents hear a lot of advice about math, and much of it pulls in different directions.
The good news is that researchers have studied how children learn math for more than fifty years, and on the basics they agree more than you might think. Here's what they've found, and what it means for the few minutes your child spends on math.
Why this matters
Math builds on itself more than almost any other subject. Counting leads to adding, adding to multiplying, multiplying to fractions, fractions to algebra. A child who is shaky on one step carries that wobble into the next.
In 2024, about one in four U.S. fourth graders (24%) scored below the "Basic" level on the national math test, up from about one in five in 2019 (The Nation's Report Card, 2024). Steady practice is what turns "I sort of get it" into "I know this."
What the research shows
Children learn more when they're shown how
A review of 164 studies compared learners who were left to discover a method entirely on their own with learners who were taught it directly. The learners who were shown how did better. Learners who explored with guidance, such as feedback and worked examples, also did well (Alfieri and colleagues, 2011). The common thread is guidance: learners do best when they aren't left to figure it out alone.
Explicit teaching also helps children who find math hard. A review of 42 studies of math teaching for students with learning disabilities found that explicit instruction was one of the two approaches with the biggest gains (Gersten and colleagues, 2009). One well-established approach with significant research backing is called Direct Instruction.
Fluency with facts frees up thinking
The National Mathematics Advisory Panel, a panel of experts appointed through the U.S. Department of Education, reviewed the research and called for children to know their addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts automatically. When facts come without effort, a child's limited working memory is free for the new part of the problem. The panel was just as clear that facts, understanding and problem solving support each other, and that children need all three (National Mathematics Advisory Panel, 2008). Building math fluency is especially important for younger children.
Practice and feedback are how skills stick
Feedback is one of the most powerful influences on learning, but not all feedback is equal. Feedback about the task ("that's 12, try counting the last row again") helps more than general praise ("good job") (Hattie and Timperley, 2007). That's why children need lots of practice with feedback, not just one good lesson.
How you practice matters as much as how much
Psychologists who compared ten common study techniques rated two as most useful: practice testing (recalling an answer rather than rereading it) and spaced practice (a little at a time, spread out) (Dunlosky and colleagues, 2013). In a trial with 54 seventh-grade classes, students whose practice mixed different kinds of math problems 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). A few small changes to how your child practices can make the same minutes count for much more.
Early math predicts later success
Across six large studies that followed children over time, math skills at the start of school were the strongest predictor of later achievement, ahead of early reading and attention skills (Duncan and colleagues, 2007). In two other large studies, children's knowledge of fractions and whole-number division at about age 10 predicted their algebra and overall math in high school five or six years later, after accounting for other math skills, IQ, working memory and family income (Siegler and colleagues, 2012). It's one reason early math confidence matters so much.
What good practice looks like at home
- Short. A few focused minutes, several times a week.
- At the right level. Most answers right, with a little stretch. If your child gets most of them wrong, the work is too hard for now.
- Shown first. If a skill is new, show one example step by step before asking your child to try.
- Answered from memory. Ask, wait, let them answer. Recalling builds memory more than looking it up.
- Checked right away. Let them know straight away whether they got it, and how to fix it if not.
- Mixed and revisited. Bring back last week's skill next to today's.
- Kind. Mistakes are part of learning. "Not yet" lands better than "wrong."
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:
- Feedback after every answer. A right answer gets a quick celebration. A miss gets a gentle message and a second try.
- Shown how when they're stuck. If your child still misses, the answer appears with a short explanation they can listen to.
- Lots of practice, little and often. About five minutes at a time, as many questions as your child wants.
- The right level. Your child practices where they succeed often, with a little stretch, and moves up as they're ready.
- A second look at mistakes. At the end of a session, your child can replay the questions they missed.
It's practice, not a replacement for your child's teacher. It's built for the part that research says children need most and get least: many short, successful tries with feedback.
Questions parents ask
What kind of math practice works best for young kids?
Short, frequent sessions at the right level, where your child answers from memory and finds out right away whether they're right. Mixing in skills from earlier weeks helps them remember longer. A new skill should be shown clearly first, then practiced.
Is it better to explain math to my child or let them figure it out?
For something new, show them. Research finds learners do better when they're shown how than when they're left to discover a method entirely on their own. Once they know the basics, asking them to explain their thinking or try another way helps them understand more deeply.
Does drilling math facts actually help?
Yes, when it's short, at the right level and comes with feedback. Knowing facts automatically frees a child's attention for harder problems. Experts recommend building that fluency alongside understanding, not in place of it.
How much math practice does my child need?
Research doesn't give one magic number. What it does show is that a little practice spread across the week is remembered much better than the same amount crammed into one long session. A few focused minutes, several times a week, is a good start.
Why does feedback matter so much?
Without it, a child can practice a mistake many times and learn it well. Quick feedback, ideally right after each answer, lets them fix it while the problem is still in mind. Specific feedback about the problem helps more than general praise.
Is my child behind if they still count on their fingers?
Not necessarily. Counting on fingers is a normal step. Over time, with practice, facts move from counting to memory. If your child is still counting every fact by 3rd or 4th grade, short, regular fact practice can help a lot. Learn more about starting at just the right level →
Can a math app replace a teacher?
No. A good teacher explains, notices and adjusts in ways an app can't. What an app can do well is the part teachers rarely have time for: lots of practice with instant feedback, at each child's own level.
What is Bobby's Math Club?
A math practice app for Pre-K through 5th grade. Your child practices about five minutes at a time, at just the right level, gets feedback after every answer and is shown how when they're stuck. Every question is read aloud, and unlimited practice is free.
Research behind this guide
- Alfieri, L., Brooks, P. J., Aldrich, N. J., & Tenenbaum, H. R. (2011). Does discovery-based instruction enhance learning? Journal of Educational Psychology, 103(1).
- Duncan, G. J., Dowsett, C. J., Claessens, A., et al. (2007). School readiness and later achievement. Developmental Psychology, 43(6).
- 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).
- Gersten, R., Chard, D. J., Jayanthi, M., Baker, S. K., Morphy, P., & Flojo, J. (2009). Mathematics instruction for students with learning disabilities: A meta-analysis of instructional components. Review of Educational Research, 79(3).
- Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1).
- National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008). Foundations for Success: The Final Report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. U.S. Department of Education.
- 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).
- Siegler, R. S., Duncan, G. J., Davis-Kean, P. E., et al. (2012). Early predictors of high school mathematics achievement. Psychological Science, 23(7).
- U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (2024). The Nation's Report Card: 2024 Mathematics, Grades 4 and 8.