Math Sprint- The Mental Math Game Review – The Delight Directed Homeschooler

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

I sat down to write this review this morning and had to stop a few times to check work, keep people on track, go over new material… and y’all… I’m here to tell you… Math gives me anxiety… maybe more now than when I was a student myself. I thought I was good to go. I thought homeschooling was redeeming math for me, but apparently it is not. Checking my daughter’s Algebra was making my chest tighten and those old familiar fears of “I’m ruining my children” were creeping up. Where am I going with this? Good question! I have a 15 year old and a 13 year old taking Algebra. One big lesson I have learned in the midst of all this teen-age math is the importance of a solid foundation of the basics! Enter Math Sprint- The Mental Math Game from Byron’s Games.

I dropped the ball with my oldest on mental math. I didn’t realize how much of a disservice I was doing by not requiring him to memorize with proficiency his basic addition and subtraction, multiplication and division facts. He is getting so worn out doing basic math that by the time he gets to the hard stuff, his brain is done. So… Public Service Announcement to you parents of young ones… teach those math facts! Play games, sing songs, do timed math pages… whatever you have to do… those facts should be second nature for your kids.

I was really excited to get the opportunity to review Math Sprint- The Mental Math Game. We love games at our home and a game that has a educational element just makes my homeschool mama heart happy. I love the fact that all four of my kids (ages 8, 11, 13, and 15) can play. The game is for up to 8 players which means my husband and I can jump in as well.

In the box, you receive all that is pictured (decks of cards, 8 player pieces, dry erase cards, dry erase marker) as well as instructions and short bios of all the characters coordinating with the game pieces. My kids enjoyed learning the names of the characters.

The game is great for incorporating different age levels. The cards are color coded- green for addition and subtraction, blue for multiplication and division, purple for wild cards, and orange for challenge cards. There are also instructions for different starting places depending on your child’s abilities. For example, my 8 year old who is just learning her multiplication tables can start closer to the finish line than my 15 year old who should be proficient at his math facts

Each player takes a turn being the coach. The coach picks a card from the deck (you decide which cards you want to include in your deck in the beginning of the game) and lets the players know what the operation is (subtraction, addition, etc.). They then read out the problem. Whoever answers first gets to move their runner two spaces closer to the finish line. There are physical tasks to complete along the way as well… like jumping jacks or arm circles. I love that this game meets the needs of different learning styles. Watch out for wild cards.. they could send you forward or they might send you back. My kids found the wild cards pretty funny. The 15 year old got one that said he was distracted thinking of a new video game and he had to go back a few spaces.

What did the kids think?

The 15 year old has math trauma brain. He does not like math…but he does like winning. He was glad to play the game with me and his sisters and had a confidence boost as he headed around the track towards the finish line.

The 11 year old was less than impressed. She has an injured brain due to cancer treatment from a tumor when she was six. She does not have a quick reaction time and found it difficult to play the game with her older siblings. She knows her math facts, but just couldn’t spit them out fast enough to keep up. She does not enjoy most board or card games. I’m proud of her for trying it with us, but it was definitely not fun for her. I like that allowances can be made in this game for different ability levels. I’ll probably let her start closer to the finish line next time we play.

Either way, the game is great for practicing those mental math facts. The game brings an element of fun (and competition) that takes away from the monotony of math.