We Tested 3 Math Tools for Our 5-Year-Old—One Won 3X More Focus

One evening in early March, I was watching Laurent look at a number worksheet he’d brought home from preschool. It was a simple counting activity—stick numbers 1 to 10 in order—but after less than five minutes, he announced, “Mom, this is boring.” That’s when a worry hit me hard: what if he grows up thinking math is just… tedious?

I know other parents whose kids are already doing addition and subtraction at this age, and honestly, it gets in my head. So starting in March, I decided to test three different approaches with Laurent side by side: board games, a math app on the tablet, and paper workbooks. I wasn’t rotating them—I let him try all three over the same months so I could watch which one he’d reach for first, which one held his attention longest, and which one he’d actually ask to do again. The difference was striking.

Board Games—The One He Asks for Unprompted

First, we got the Haba Orchard Game. You roll a die, and whatever color comes up, you pick that color of fruit from the board. It’s really about color matching more than math at this age, but it works. Then we added the PlanToys Numbers 1-10 Board—wooden pegs with numbers etched on, and you thread beads through holes to match the quantity on each peg.

Laurent loved the board games. He’d wake up in the morning asking, “Can we play the fruit game?” Once he started, he’d easily play for 20 minutes straight. I’d leave to do the dishes, and he’d keep rolling the die on his own. I think it’s because there’s something about touching things, moving them, stacking them—it feels alive in a way a worksheet doesn’t.

The real win is that these games work with other people. Laurent would play alone, but the second I sat down next to him, he’d hand me the die and say, “Your turn now, Mom.” Suddenly he’s learning turn-taking and basic rules without any pressure. The downside? Small pieces. We lost a few beads early on, so now we keep each game in its own container and have a strict rule about putting everything back immediately.

The Math App—Ten Minutes of Real Engagement, Then He’s Done

Next, we tried the Todo Math app. I did the free trial for two weeks, then went to the subscription plan—it’s about $10 a month. The app has a cute character who gives daily missions: number tracing, counting games, and simple addition problems that feel more like interactive stories than drills.

The first few days, Laurent was fascinated. We’re pretty minimal with screen time around here, so the novelty of the tablet itself was exciting. He’d run over when I asked if he wanted to “do math today.” But a week in, I noticed a pattern. He’d play for about five minutes, then try to sneak over to the home button to switch to YouTube Kids. If I sit next to him, he’ll stay focused for about 10 minutes. Alone? He’s off to something else.

The app’s strength is instant feedback. Right answer? Sound effect, dancing character. Wrong answer? A helpful hint without shame. I don’t grade anything, and the progress is automatically tracked. But here’s what I’ve noticed: on days Laurent uses the app, he hasks for screen time more often afterward. That’s the real cost. So we’ve pulled back to two or three times a week, and honestly, that feels better for everyone.

Paper Workbooks—Done in Five Minutes, “When Will This Be Over?”

The third tool was a math workbook we picked up at the bookstore. About $7, with 60-some pages of number writing, dot-to-dot activities, and counting problems. It had a cute cover and stickers everywhere, so Laurent was initially into it.

Then reality set in. Five minutes of sitting down with the workbook, and he’d ask, “Mom, when can we stop?” Each page has maybe 10 problems, and after three, he’d put the pencil down and try to leave. If I pushed, he’d either get frustrated or just scribble through the rest without thinking. I realized I was sitting there feeling frustrated too, wondering: should I really be forcing a five-year-old to sit at a table doing repetitive problems? It felt counterintuitive to what I believe about learning.

The workbook’s advantage is price and portability. One in the car for waiting rooms, one at home, done. But from Laurent’s perspective, it’s just… not fun. Writing the same number ten times feels pointless when you’re five. So we changed our approach: the workbook only comes out if *he* asks to use the stickers. Since we made that shift, he’ll grab it maybe two or three times a month on his own terms. Guess what? That’s fine.

Three Months In—The Data Points to Something Clear

After running all three side by side, the pattern became impossible to ignore. Board games: average 20 minutes of focus. App: about 10 minutes. Workbook: around 5 minutes. But it’s not just about time. The bigger difference was in initiation. With the board games, Laurent didn’t need me to suggest it—he’d ask first. With the app, I’d have to offer it. With the workbook, he rarely asked at all.

Tool	Average Focus Time	Does He Ask First?	Cost	Parent Involvement
Board Games	20 minutes	Yes, often	$20–35	Rules explained once, then mostly independent
Math App	10 minutes	Only if I suggest	~$10/month	Parent sitting nearby improves focus
Workbook	5 minutes	Rarely	~$7 per book	Heavy—needs encouragement and monitoring

What I Actually Did With This Information

The answer wasn’t to buy more board games and throw out the rest. It was to stop thinking about math tools as one-size-fits-all. Here’s how we use them now:

Board games are our main rotation. They live on the shelf in our living room, always accessible. If Laurent asks, great—it’s usually his idea. If not, I don’t push. When we do play, I sometimes sit with him, and that’s when the real learning happens: counting moves, talking through strategy (sort of—he’s five), understanding that rules apply to everyone.

The app is for specific moments: maybe Friday afternoon when the weather’s bad, or when we’re waiting at the doctor’s office and I actually want him occupied. Two to three times a week feels sustainable without turning into a bargaining point for more screen time. The immediate feedback and progress tracking is genuinely useful for my own peace of mind—I can see he’s grasping number sequencing and basic quantity concepts.

The workbook sits in the car and on the shelf. When Laurent wants to do stickers and “write numbers like a big kid,” we pull it out. It’s not a learning tool we’re pushing—it’s a sometimes-activity he chooses. And you know what? That’s honestly better. He’s more willing to try when it’s his idea.

The Bigger Picture

I’m not saying everyone should skip workbooks or apps. Different kids are different. But I’ve learned that for Laurent, engagement matters more than content. He doesn’t need the most advanced math tool—he needs tools that *feel* like play rather than school.

The board game wins because it’s tactile, it has natural breaks (one round), and it’s social. The app works when he’s curious, but it can’t replace the satisfaction of physically doing something. The workbook is fine as an occasional activity, not a daily practice.

If you’re in the early stages with your own preschooler and feeling the pressure to start formal academics, maybe try this: get a math game that looks fun to *you*, not just academically rigorous. Play it together without expectations. See what sticks. Everything else—the apps, the workbooks, the flashcards—can follow if and when your kid actually wants them.

Math doesn’t have to start as homework. Sometimes the best math lesson is a simple board game that keeps your five-year-old engaged for 20 minutes while you actually get to drink your coffee.

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Personal experience-based. Product, policy, and price details may change over time — verify with the source before purchase.

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