Juicy Math

Who's hungry for fruit salad? Apples, pears, berries, citrus and bananas on a simple wooden background give this simple practice app for budding mathematicians—in which fruit are added and subtracted—a kid-friendly sophistication.

Kids must study the groups of fruit and then add or subtract by sight or manual counting. Then, they drag a picture of the correct number into the answer box to solve problems. If the answer is correct, numbers move up to cover the groups of fruit. For example, a picture of 2 apples plus a picture of 3 lemons turns into an equation—2+3=5. This may seem like a throwaway, but it's actually a powerful reinforcement of abstract numbers and their visual representations. Free of penalties and time limits, this app's ideal for kids who struggle with numbers. Children can play as many games as they like, and the app keeps stats to track progress.

The graphics are clear and colorful without being overwhelming, but older kids may quickly tire of the lack of interesting interactive elements. Little scholars earn stars and while flipping between addition and subtraction, or a combination of the two. Because this is a paid app, it's refreshingly free of ads or pop-ups.