Reflex Math

Helping kids memorize math facts without tears, timers, or endless flashcards is a common pain point for families. Among the many fact-practice tools we tried, Reflex Math is one of the few that turned daily drills into something kids actually asked to play. Created by ExploreLearning to build automaticity in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, Reflex uses adaptive problem sets wrapped in arcade-style games and unlockable rewards, with dashboards that show exactly which facts are solid and which need work. We love that sessions are short, focused, and lighthearted, so practice feels more like a game break than remedial work. It’s a great fit for roughly 2nd–6th graders who conceptually understand operations but need speed, confidence, and clean recall before tackling more complex math. Access typically comes through school or a paid subscription, and Reflex doesn’t teach deeper problem-solving on its own, but as a fluency tool it’s excellent value compared with hiring a tutor just for facts. Pro tip: pair 10–15 minutes of Reflex with a quick, real-world math game—like dice or card games—so kids immediately use their faster facts in context.