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Times Tables: Squeebles Makes Math Fact Memorization Easier

Most kids put memorizing math facts somewhere on their to-do list between “floss teeth” and “dust under bed.” Parents who use the iPad to help their children perform rote tasks such as learning math facts may find that kids become a bit more compliant when it is time to study. Times Tables: Squeebles for iPad is a simple game that helps kids practice math facts.

In this kids’ edu-app, the evil Maths Monster has kidnapped 24 adorable Squeebles. How to free them? You guessed it: answer a series of multiplication questions correctly.

 Game play is easy. Kids pick a fact family, and free a Squeeble if all 12 math facts are answered correctly. Each Squeeble has a pretty elaborate back story. To read up on your Squeebles, tap the Squeebles tab, then the individual Squeeble. For example, Bash sounds like my kind of Squeeble. Bash is noisy, likes spicy noodles and playing the drums.

The game keeps track of the math facts that the player is struggling with. Tap the Tricky Tables tab to practice just the ones that are troublesome. Practicing these facts does not free Squeebles, but it does earn stars which unlock cute themes that allow the player to pretend the Squeebles are hanging out in a variety of locations such as a fiery volcano or the beach.

Times Tables: Squeebles lets up to four players save games, so it is great for families. Users can also play Mix it Up where the fact families are scrambled, or Tables Reversed where one factor is missing, but the product is present. Tables Reversed is great preparation for division.

Download Times Tables: Squeebles for iPad from the App Store for $0.99. There is also a program for division. The developer plans to update the addition application currently available to make it more comprehensive, so soon there will be Squeebles for all basic arithmetic needs.

What I liked: The Maths Monster growls each time the player gets a question right, which adds a bit of personality to learning times tables. Though the player has to get all questions in a fact family correct to free a Squeeble, the game isn’t overly harsh when the player gets a question wrong. The game also shares the correct answer. Kids earn medals and other rewards often during game play, which is likely to keep frustration at bay.

What I didn’t like: It would be nice if the app were universal, rather than forcing consumers to purchase it separately for the iPad and iPhone / iPod touch. Players earn “spins” during game play, which means the Squeeble on the main screen spins around. As incentives go, it was a bit weak.

To buy or not to buy: Tell your kids that using Times Tables: Squeebles could mean the end of flash cards forever. The app is priced to try; at $0.99, it’s a low-risk endeavor.

