Mathsframe: A teacher's guide
A teacher's guide to 'Mathsframe': Interactive games, worksheets and progress tracking tools that help students build critical thinking skills.
What is Mathsframe?
Mathsframe is a browser-based collection of interactive maths games that helps children connect number facts, categorize patterns, and explain their mental-calculation strategies out loud. Created by a primary teacher who wanted something more engaging than static worksheets, the platform now hosts 200-plus short activities built in Unity3D. Each one can run smoothly in a modern web browser or via the free iOS and Android app, so there’s nothing to install beyond a simple log-in.
The games feel game-y - bright colours, quick timers, a few playful sound effects yet they map tightly onto the UK National Curriculum. A Year 3 pupil drilling their 3× table meets the same conceptual model again when practising division in Year 4, which nudges them to connect old and new knowledge without even noticing. Most levels last two to three minutes, perfect for a starter task, homework link, or a fast-finishers station.
Pricing remains refreshingly straightforward: every core game is free. A low-cost annual licence unlocks progress tracking, extra characters, and a growing bank of printable resources, but the basic mental-maths drills never sit behind a paywall. That matters if you’re a parent looking for no-risk practice or a teacher hunting for something to drop into tomorrow’s lesson.
Below are three bite-size takeaways you can skim right now:
- What it does: Browser-first library of mini-games that trains quick recall, number sense, and pattern spotting for children aged roughly 6-12.
- Why it helps: Short, lively levels reinforce classroom learning, reduce cognitive load, and invite pupils to verbalise their reasoning—“I swapped the addends because…”—so they learn to explain not just answer.
- What it costs: Core content is free; an optional subscription unlocks progress reports and bonus levels, making it scalable for home or whole-school use.
Try dropping a two-minute Mathsframe game into your next lesson starter and watch even the reluctant mathematicians lean forward.
How does Mathsframe work?
The game consists of two parts: 1) A set of pre-designed levels which teach basic concepts such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; 2) An online leaderboard where players compete against each other to achieve high scores. Each level has multiple questions which must be answered correctly before progressing onto the next one. If a player answers incorrectly they receive negative points which reduce their score.
Players may also earn bonus points if they answer all the questions within a time limit or reach certain milestones during play. Once a question is completed successfully, its icon appears at the top right hand corner of the screen. This allows users to check how many correct answers were given without having to scroll through every single question.
What sort of games are on Mathsframe?
As the platform has been developed by a teacher in the UK you could expect most of the maths national curriculum to be covered. This includes:
- Multiplication games including: Archery arithmetic - multiplication, magical maths mission - multiplication, maths fishing - multiplication
- Mixed operations
- Time resources including: time between analogue
As well as developing an understanding of different types of calculations and advancing multiplication knowledge, children can also assess their progress over time. Your pupils ability can be assessed with maths questions that check for their understanding.
MathFrame is an interactive math game that helps children learn mathematical concepts such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, geometry, measurement, time, money, algebra, probability, statistics, and more! The game includes over 100 puzzles, each with multiple levels of difficulty.
Product Features: - Over 100 challenging puzzles.
- Easy to play, but difficult to master.
- Fun and engaging way to teach basic math concepts.
- Interactive graphics make learning fun.
- Includes a free trial version.
- No ads or popups.
- Supports English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and many other languages.
Mathsframe Games: Fun and Engaging Activities
Mathsframe is an innovative platform that offers a wide range of interactive math games to engage and challenge students. With a variety of games available, ranging in difficulty level and covering topics such as times tables questions, matching games, and logic games, students are able to practice and apply critical thinking and recognition skills.
Playing games is an effective way to keep students engaged and motivated while also developing their mathematical fluency. Mathsframe games are designed to help students progress over time, building on their existing knowledge and skills as they advance through the different levels.
Mathsframe games provide resources for teachers that allow them to customize activities to meet the needs of individual learners. Teachers can assign different games and difficulty levels, track student progress, and identify areas for improvement.
In particular, Mathsframe multiplication games provide a fun and engaging way for students to practice their times tables skills. The games encourage students to develop quick recall and fluency, building a solid foundation for more complex mathematical concepts.
Overall, Mathsframe games provide a valuable resource for teachers looking to make math learning more fun and engaging for their students. By providing interactive games that develop critical thinking and recognition skills, Mathsframe is a powerful tool for promoting mathematical fluency and confidence in students.
Using other Maths Resources
Children often struggle with understanding abstract concepts such as number. Many of our member schools have been using the block building methodology to make number concepts visible and tangible. The blocks are about the size of Duplo Lego bricks and can be written on using miniature whiteboards.
Our member schools have used this process to make number work easier to grasp. The colours can be used to highlight patterns and make numerical concepts 'real'. Interactive games using technology are engaging but we have become increasingly conscious of the amount of time children spend in front of screens. This methodology makes learning social as well as engaging. The blocks can be used to create different shapes that depict different number concepts. You can find out more on our webpage.
Gamification for supporting Maths learning
Gamifying Mathsframe isn’t about piling on novelty for its own sake; it’s about slipping solid number work into a format children already recognise from their favourite apps. A two-minute high-score challenge can coax even the most hesitant learner to try one more multiplication, while the built-in timers and levelling system give you instant “next steps” without extra marking. Because every activity lives inside a standard browser—or the free Android/iOS app—you can launch a game as a whole-class starter, set it for homework, or leave it running on a tablet station for fast-finishers.
Below are ten quick ideas that make the most of Mathsframe’s existing games and settings. Each one takes less than five minutes to set up, yet adds a fresh layer of competition, collaboration or real-world context that keeps attention high and repetition painless.
- Kick-off with “Super-Maths Bowling” and race pupils to find two addends that make ten before the pins reset.
- Use “Sort the 3-D Shapes” as a drag-and-drop relay, asking teams to group fractions and decimals that represent the same value.
- In “Colour Code Multiplication”, have learners arrange the partial products in the correct order to reveal a hidden pattern on the grid.
- Turn “Compare Four-Digit Numbers” into a quick-fire quiz: shout out “greater than” or “less than” and see who taps first.
- Set a two-minute leaderboard in “Maths Invaders” to drill times-table recall; display the top three scores to spark healthy rivalry.
- Let pupils estimate, then verify, angles in “Angle Alien Attack”, awarding bonus points for explanations that use the terms acute, obtuse and reflex.
- During “Mental Maths Train”, pause the action and ask volunteers to talk through why they chose a specific carriage (+7 before +30, for example).
- Generate personalised quizzes with “Assess Your Maths”, capture the results screen and paste it straight into digital feedback.
- Before starting “Perimeter of Squares”, challenge learners to sketch real-life objects (picture frames, garden beds) whose sides match that level’s dimensions.
- Switch on the adaptive-difficulty toggle so the software automatically increases complexity once a player strings together three perfect rounds.