Top Maths Apps for Year 1 & 2 Children

Maths can feel overwhelming for young learners, especially when traditional methods don’t keep their attention. With the right apps, children can build core skills while having fun in short, focused sessions.

Why Maths Apps Work for KS1 Learners

Apps offer interactive and engaging ways for children to practise key maths concepts. For Year 1 and Year 2 students, this means more confidence with numbers and faster progress in class.

Hit the Button: A Proven Favourite

Hit the Button remains one of the most trusted tools for building number fluency. It covers number bonds, times tables, doubling, and halving, all through fun, timed challenges.

White Rose 1-Minute Maths

This app supports the UK curriculum and helps children strengthen their number sense. It’s especially effective for fluency in addition and subtraction through bite-sized practice.

DoodleMaths

DoodleMaths adapts to each child’s ability level, offering a personalised learning experience. It covers all National Curriculum areas with daily challenges and clear progress tracking.

Busy Things: Maths Games

Busy Things combines colourful design with well-structured content for KS1. Children explore counting, ordering, shapes, and measurement in a playful environment.

Maths Seeds

Maths Seeds focuses on early maths concepts through structured lessons and interactive games. Its rewards system keeps children motivated and eager to return.

Khan Academy Kids

Khan Academy Kids offers free, high-quality maths resources for Reception to Year 2. It includes engaging animations and practice for early addition, subtraction, and number sense.

SplashLearn

SplashLearn provides topic-specific practice in counting, place value, and word problems. It aligns closely with the KS1 curriculum and includes both online and offline access.

Numberblocks: Hide and Seek

Inspired by the CBeebies series, this app reinforces number recognition and counting. It’s especially helpful for Reception and Year 1 pupils developing early numeracy.

Teach Your Monster Number Skills

This app supports number recognition, ordering, and patterns through playful mini-games. It’s ideal for young children who need a gentle introduction to maths.

Mental Maths Train by Topmarks

This game by your competitor focuses on mental arithmetic through four operations. Its simple layout helps children practise quick recall without distractions.

What to Look for in a Maths App

Choose apps that are curriculum-aligned and support regular practice without overloading. Look for tools with adjustable difficulty, clear feedback, and no unnecessary ads.

Supporting Home Learning with Apps

Parents can build routines around daily maths app use to reinforce classroom learning. A short 10-minute session each day can dramatically improve confidence and fluency.

Apps vs Traditional Methods

Apps offer instant feedback and encourage independent learning. While worksheets have their place, digital tools engage children and make maths more enjoyable.

Encourage Healthy Screen Time

Use educational apps during scheduled learning time to maintain balance. Limiting non-educational screen exposure while promoting focused learning apps helps children benefit most.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right maths app can make a huge difference in a child’s learning journey. Whether used in the classroom or at home, these apps help build strong foundations for future success.