Mora Academy · Math
Math
How many dice shall we play with?
For parents and caregivers
How the Math sprint supports your child’s development
The Math sprint is a short, fun way to practice basic operations every day. It is not about rushing for the sake of it, but about building confidence with numbers. Here we explain how it works, which skills it trains and how to keep practicing at home with real-life situations.
How to play
There are three sections, in the order math is learned. In “Learn to count” (ages 3 to 5) children count with Blu: roll one, two or three dice, count the dots and tap the number; after a wrong answer, Blu counts along dot by dot. In “Basic operations” you choose the operation and the level, and each operation is understood before it is practiced: adding is jumping forward on the number line with Ina and subtracting is jumping back with Fram (on hard, jumping 10 and coming back 1 to add or take away 9); multiplying is making a rectangle of rows and columns of dots with Titi, and dividing is sharing a pile of dots between several boxes with Sandi, one for each until they run out, and counting how many each box got. In the Math sprint they practice against the clock: your child picks an operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication or division, depending on age) and a level. After a countdown, they solve 10 problems in a row against the clock using the on-screen keypad. At the end they see how many they got right, how long it took and their personal best. Divisions always come out as whole numbers, to practice times tables without decimals.
What they are learning
The game is inspired by the "rekensprint" used in schools in the Netherlands: short, frequent series that make mental math automatic. When basic operations come quickly and effortlessly, the mind is free for what really matters: understanding problems, estimating and reasoning. Competing against their own best, not against others, keeps motivation high without pressure.
Ideas to keep going at home
- Do two-minute mini sprints every day: a little practice often works better than a lot once in a while.
- Use money in real life: work out the change, compare prices or split a bill.
- When cooking, double or halve a recipe to practice multiplication and division.
- If they get frustrated, go down a level: confidence with numbers grows with small wins.
Connection to the books
The characters for each operation come from the Mora money books: Ina saves money selling cookies in "Tarro de Galletas", Titi discovers what money is in "Papelitos de Colores" and Fram learns not to spend it all in "Impulsivamente". Math is also a tool for making good decisions with money.
See the booksA tip from Mora: play together for a short while, 5 to 10 minutes, and talk when you finish. Screens work best as a starting point for family conversations rather than as a solo activity: real learning happens in the conversation, which is the heart of the Mora method.