➗ Math apps and platforms · 🎮 Learning games and sites · 🏫 Classroom tools
ST Math
By MIND Education (nonprofit). Visit ST Math
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
ST Math is a PreK-8 math program built from visual puzzles. Children help a penguin named JiJi get across the screen by solving puzzles that show math ideas, such as fractions or place value, as pictures and motion before any words or symbols. Wrong answers play an animation that shows why. Schools use it alongside their main curriculum, usually a set number of minutes a week. A home version for homeschool families is also sold.
Our take: A strong choice if your child's school offers it, especially for visual learners; families wanting a cheap standalone app may find other options easier to buy.
| Ages it suits | about 4-14 (PreK-grade 8) |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | Students may use it only if they are at least 13, or with the consent and supervision of a parent, guardian or teacher. Most students get access through their school, which must hold the needed consents; homeschool licenses fall under a separate end-user agreement. (terms) |
| Price | Through schools. Schools buy annual licenses by quote; a homeschool subscription exists but its price was not shown on the public pages we loaded (Oct 2026). |
| Works on | Web, iPhone and iPad, Chromebook |
| Account | A school account |
| Ads | None |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | No AI; the puzzles use fixed, designed sequences with animated feedback. |
What's good
- Shows math ideas visually before symbols
- Independent study found gains
- Nonprofit, no ads
- Little reading needed, helps English learners
Watch for
- Mostly a school product; home price not public
- Puzzles can frustrate kids who want to be told how
- Best results need regular weekly use
- Supplement only, not a full curriculum
Data and privacy
MIND says it does not use student records for targeted ads or other commercial purposes and does not sell, trade or rent personal information. It states compliance with FERPA, COPPA and Illinois SOPPA and says it signed the Student Privacy Pledge. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
A quasi-experimental WestEd study of 474 schools in 16 states found a small positive effect on the share of grade 3-5 students scoring proficient (0.17 standard deviations; 0.35 where used as intended). MIND also publishes many of its own outcome studies.
In the Big Index
Alternatives to ST Math
Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads
99math
99math (Estonia) · ages about 5-14 (grades K-8)
A low-effort, free way for teachers to make fact practice lively; parents of kids who dislike timed competition may want a calmer tool.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
ABCmouse
Age of Learning, Inc. · ages about 2-6 (preschool to kindergarten)
A full preschool program for families who want one paid app; cancel carefully and watch the reward loop.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
ABCya
ABCya.com LLC (a division of IXL Learning) · ages about 4-12 (pre-K to grade 6+)
Handy for quick grade-level practice in class or at home; skip if you want an ad-free experience without paying.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Adventure Academy
Age of Learning, Inc. · ages grades 3-8 (about 8-13)
Good for kids who love online games and need a nudge toward school subjects; families wanting no social contact should set chat to off or choose a solo app.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
ALEKS
McGraw Hill (ALEKS Corporation) · ages school-age students through college (K-12 and higher ed courses)
A rigorous, mastery-based option for motivated older students or homeschoolers; younger or easily bored kids may prefer something more playful.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
AoPS Online
Art of Problem Solving (AoPS Incorporated) · ages grades 5-12 (about 10-18)
A strong fit for a child who loves hard math and wants contest prep; a child who is behind in math needs something gentler.
Where these facts come from
- https://www.mindeducation.org/programs/st-math/
- https://www.mindeducation.org/programs/st-math-homeschool/
- https://www.mindeducation.org/home/stmath-special-pricing-offer/
- https://www.mindeducation.org/research/validation-and-methodology/
- https://www.wested.org/resource/st-math-evaluation/
- https://www.mindeducation.org/terms-of-use/
- https://www.mindeducation.org/privacy-policy/
- https://www.mindeducation.org/about/
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.