4.4
Where to Buy

Astro Nora: Addition & Subtraction Maths for 4-7 Year Olds App Review

App Info

Price: $1.99

Overview

Astro Nora allows children to choose from three answers to solve addition and subtraction problems ranging from basic combinations to three-digit problems with regrouping. Problems are presented in standard horizontal format and with missing answers, addends, minuends, or subtrahends. There are four levels of difficulty covering addition and subtraction skills from prekindergarten through about grade 3.

Features include:

  • Four levels of difficulty
  • Question bank of over 800 problems
  • Gradually becomes more challenging
  • Encourages mental math
  • Number line and hundreds chart available for difficult problems

Quality

Astro Nora is a high quality app that does exactly what is advertised: it provides young students with almost limitless practice opportunities to sharpen addition and subtraction skills. The app is easy to use and provides increasingly challenging practice. The inclusion of the optional number line and hundreds chart is a nice touch-both are available but not obvious. The developers should consider providing more verbal versions of prompts and rewards, however, since the target audience may not be able to read the given directions or praises.

Education

Astro Nora presents a choice of addition, subtraction, or mixed problems at the chosen level of difficulty. The problems are presented in horizontal format, with the answer or one of the terms missing, and three choices presented to choose from for the solution. Developers did a good job of graduating the difficulty level-young learners can begin with basic combinations and work their way up to problems involving three digits and regrouping.

Each problem has the option of showing either a number line or a hundreds chart to assist with finding the correct answer.  This tool is not real obvious, but it is available, and will help many beginning students or those who are not confident about their work.

Choosing a correct response from among a group of three is an easier task than solving the problem directly. It would be nice if the program allowed for this higher level of response in some fashion, either by choice or as a step toward solving more difficult problems. It’s a concern that it solely presents problems in horizontal format…most classroom exercises shift to vertical format when the problems become more complex.

Entertainment

This app has a fun theme-a space traveler who needs to collect parts to repair a space ship.  Along the way, she can solve problems to gather the necessary parts, and can climb and jump to collect coins. The coins can be used to make a monster “burp” in different ways.  I do wish there were a few other options to interact with the space alien; most children even in the target age range are likely to tire of the reward quite quickly.  There should also be a visible coin counter on the activity screen so young players can see their coins accumulate.

Value

This app is an acceptable value at $1.99, but I have some concern about its “staying power.” It seems like children may tire of it quickly, due to the limited range of positive responses, the reading required for rewards, and the limited set of things to purchase with the coins gathered.

Child Friendliness

This app is very child-friendly in terms of safety, but could use an option to read the text on the screen (directions, backstory, and rewards), since many children in the target age group cannot read well enough to benefit from these.

  • Parent area (contains no external links)
  • NO external links
  • NO social media
  • NO 3rd party ads
  • NO in-app purchase
Astro Nora: Addition & Subtraction Maths for 4-7 Year Olds
Astro Nora
Astro Nora: Addition & Subtraction Maths for 4-7 Year Olds is a fun and simple app that provides practice on addition and subtraction from basic combinations through problems with three digits and regrouping. Children are likely to enjoy the app’s theme and reward system for a bit, but may tire of it quickly.
Quality
Education
Entertainment
Value
Child Friendly
4.4
Where to Buy