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Games

Every game here practises something the exercises cover — mental arithmetic, visual attention, memory or vocabulary — with the practice hidden inside a game a child actually wants to play. They run in the browser on a phone, tablet or computer, need no account, and none of them last more than a few minutes, which is deliberate: short and often is what builds fluency.

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Why games work for practice

Repetition without the resistance

Fluency with number facts comes from doing a lot of them. A worksheet makes that repetition visible and a game hides it — a child who would refuse thirty subtractions on paper will happily do sixty chasing a high score.

Speed under mild pressure

Knowing a fact and recalling it quickly are different skills, and the second only develops when there is some reason to hurry. A falling number or a moving snake supplies that reason without the anxiety of a timed test.

Immediate, unembarrassing feedback

A wrong answer in a game costs a life and nothing else. There is no waiting, no marking and no audience, so children retry instead of disengaging — which is exactly the behaviour practice depends on.

Common questions

Are these games free?
Yes. Every game on this page runs in the browser with no account, no download and no payment. A free PetMat account adds the full exercise library and progress tracking, but the games do not require it.
What ages are they for?
Broadly 6 to 11. Each game lists its own suggested range — the arithmetic games suit the younger end, while Snake Math and Word Search ask for a bit more reading and coordination.
Do they work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The games are built for touch as well as keyboard, so they work on a phone, a tablet or a computer. Nothing needs installing.
How long should a child play?
Five to ten minutes is plenty. These games are designed to sharpen recall rather than to teach something new, and short frequent sessions do that far better than one long one.