The Top 5 Online Math Games for the 2nd Grade​ | Prodigy

Enhance your child’s math education with math games for grade 2 students online. Even students as young as the 2nd grade might be able to benefit from playing online math games. When implemented in the classroom, math manipulatives and games can help students to better grasp important concepts. For example, in 2nd grade math, students are typically expanding upon the addition and subtraction skills they learned in grade 1, beginning to learn basic fractions, and more. By setting assignments that incorporate math games for 2nd graders online and by customizing the games with questions that pertain to that day’s lesson, teachers can make learning more fun while reinforcing their second grade math lesson plans.
Plus, there are so many engaging and fun math activities to choose from, like subtraction activities, addition activities, and fraction activities. Educators and parents alike can utilize Prodigy’s free math game resources to help each student succeed inside and outside of the classroom. Prodigy Math is designed to foster and enhance mathematical skills through participation in educational gameplay - but don’t take out word for it. Continue reading to learn more about the numerous benefits of teaching 2nd grade math through games and how you can integrate Prodigy Math into your 2nd grade classroom.

2nd grade math involves building on the foundational math skills that students were taught in the first grade. As with first grade math, second grade math will always follow the second grade math curriculum. In the second grade, students generally range in age from 7 years old to 8 years old, and at this stage, they are starting to master important math concepts, such as addition and subtraction within 100, simple fractions, recognizing and drawing shapes, measuring length, time, and money, and working with equal groups of objects to gain the basics of multiplication.

It is important to mention that educators must adhere to a strict second grade math curriculum when teaching. Common Core State Standards are clearly defined in the curriculum, and they are a set of educational benchmarks for students from kindergarten to the 12th grade in the United States. Mandatory concepts in 2nd grade math are intended to emphasize building a strong foundation in mathematics. As a student, you can expect the following areas to be taught in the 2nd grade:

• Fluency in addition and subtraction within 100
• Understanding place value and the base-ten system
• Using standard units of measure
• Describing and analyzing shapes 
• Developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Engaging learners in a variety of mathematical practices and applications

Please note that Prodigy Math’s standards-aligned, curriculum-based games are created to meet the needs of 2nd grade math students and teachers. This means that you will find a wide range of games with questions and problems that align with the Common Core State Standards for 2nd grade math, e.g. subtraction games.

You might be surprised to learn just how beneficial gamifying math can be. Setting assignments that incorporate online math word problems or division activities can not only lead to greater enjoyment when learning math but it can also improve the math skills of your students. But don’t take our word for it - we like to let the research speak for itself. Students who used Prodigy the most saw up to 5x greater improvement in math. Additionally, students at Clifton Public Schools in New Jersey mastered 68% more math skills per month when using Prodigy Math in the year 2019-2020 compared to the year 2018-2019. Prodigy has also been shown to considerably improve enjoyment among students who had experienced low math enjoyment in the past. Lastly, when compared to traditional instruction, digital game-based learning has been shown to be more effective in improving the mathematical learning of students.

We want 2nd grade students to experience the benefits of playing online math games in every way possible. That is why we put together this list of the best math apps and games for second graders below. No matter what types of math games your students play, setting in-class assignments and homework that feature the following games has the potential to help students become more engaged in learning, increase their knowledge and understanding of math concepts, and even improve their mental math skills.

1. Prodigy Math

Prodigy Math is a standards-aligned online math game that is targeted at students between the first grade and the eighth grade. When they log on, students will be immersed in a role-playing game that requires them to participate in math duels against in-game characters. In order to win, the user must solve the math problem correctly. Teachers can actually customize these in-game math problems based on their lesson plans. What is even more impressive is that Prodigy’s educational and engaging role-play-style games use adaptive learning and differentiated instruction principles to adjust to the needs and abilities of each student. Lastly, not only is Prodigy Math a free resource for educators and students to take advantage of but there is a teacher dashboard where educators can receive reports on student progress and identify learning gaps. 

2. Math is Fun

Math is Fun is a second online math resource for second graders. It has games to suit the learning abilities of those in the first grade up to the fifth grade. Users can play Math is Fun’s games and puzzles in groups or individually, either at home or in a classroom with one-to-one devices. For example, 2nd grade math students can play a game of memory and math that involves matching like types of 2D shapes.

3. Buzzmath

Buzzmath is a math app that offers a set of games for children from the age of 6 up to the age of 16. There are three general learning categories: 6 to 7 years old, 8 to 11 years old, and 12 to 16 years old. Each category has its own unique set of missions for students to complete. In order to progress through each curriculum, users must correctly answer the math questions presented to them.

4. SplashLearn

Of the many math games for grade 2 online free that are out there, SplashLearn is another fantastic option. SplashLearn offers online math games, worksheets, and live classes for Pre-K students up to fifth graders. Educators can also utilize the student progress tracking feature and personalized learning paths for students.

5. National Library of Virtual Manipulatives

One final example of 2nd grade math games online is Utah State University’s National Library of Virtual Manipulatives. As the name suggests, the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives is a collection of digital math manipulatives. Games are divided by age and category, with the categories being number & operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, and data analysis & probability. An example of a number & operations activity targeted at 2nd graders is the Fraction Bars game where users learn the basics of fractions through fraction bars.

There are so many effective ways of incorporating math games into learning, as well as many reasons to do so. Since curriculum alignment is a core tenet of all Prodigy math games, educators can rest reassured that the games they ask their students to play will align with the lessons being taught in class. However, teachers also have the option of customizing the questions in Prodigy’s research-based math games so that they relate directly to that day or week’s lesson plan.

Ultimately, having 2nd grade students play online math games as part of in-class assignments or homework is a fantastic way of enhancing math learning. Not only can online math games make students more engaged but it can help them improve their math skills and in turn prepare for standardized tests. Please note that Prodigy’s 2nd grade math games online can be played individually or in groups and online or offline, which gives educators greater flexibility when setting assignments.

With Prodigy Math, educators have a free and effective resource at their fingertips. Even better, Prodigy can be seamlessly integrated into the classroom. All Prodigy games are standards-aligned, which means that you can work them into your lesson plans, either when setting assignments or assigning homework. Teachers even have the option of customizing math questions and problems within the game to suit their students. Given that Prodigy is free to use for teachers and students, it can be used in classrooms of all shapes and sizes. At the end of the day, Prodigy is on a mission to make math learning easier, more fun, and more accessible for all.

What are you waiting for? Start using Prodigy’s math games for grade 2 online today. Prodigy offers an interactive online game on math rounding numbers for 2nd grade, as well as a number of other numbers, algebra, geometry, and measurement-based games. As an educator, all you have to do is ask your students to log in to Prodigy at home or in the classroom, and they can begin playing!