The 10 best math toys: Play choice test

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Best math toys

Math toys are educational tools that help children understand mathematical concepts such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and fractions in a playful way. This can be with puzzles, building sets, board games and digital apps.

Math toys are available for different age groups and can provide complexity that suits the child's stage of development. That's why it came Shifu Plugo Voice Wiz Pack the best in our test, because it grows well from 4 to 8 years.

Because age, but also price and educational value can be so important when choosing the right toy, you can search our tests in different ways.

How would you like to go through this article?

Below is the list of the best choices, sorted and compared by price from low to high.

Best abacus for addition

Kidwill Abacus With Assignments

Priced lower than most, the Kidwill Abacus offers good value for money with 182 parts and wooden MDF construction compared to, for example, the more expensive Learning Resources Smart Snacks. Despite less technology, it remains valuable for educational play.

€11,99 – $17.99
Pricing

Best wooden montessori math toys for toddlers

La La Llama Counting Ladybugs

La La Llama Counting Ladybugs, priced between Kidwill Abacus and Cool Toys Monkey Balance, offers a good balance with an 8.2 value for money and 12 wooden parts. However, it lacks the technological innovation of more expensive options like Shifu Plugo.

€19,99 – $29.89
Pricing

Best math toys for toddlers

Cool Toys Monkey Balance

Priced between Kidwill Abacus and La La Llama Counting Ladybugs, Cool Toys Monkey Balance offers good value for money with a score of 7.8. With 64 pieces and a puzzle theme, it offers more complexity than La La Llama's 12 pieces, justifying why it is slightly more expensive, but remains affordable compared to technology-driven Shifu Plugo Stem Wiz Pack.

€21,99 – $19.99
Pricing

Overall best Montessori toys

Playos Math Sticks

Playos Math Sticks, with a high price-quality ratio of 9.4, is distinguished by high-quality MDF and 73 parts. More expensive than Kidwill Abacus, but offers unique educational value, justifies the price.

€22,95 – $8.28
Pricing

Best math toys for babies

Fisher-Price Linkimal's Counting Koala

The Fisher-Price Linkimals Counting Koala, with its cuddly toy theme and lack of technology, positions itself in terms of price between toys such as the Kidwill Abacus and La La Llama Counting Ladybugs. Despite lower value for money than La La Llama, it offers awards such as the Toy of The Year, which underlines its value.

€22,99 – $19.99
Pricing

Best math toy for 8 year olds

Thinkfun Math Dice Junior

Thinkfun Math Dice Junior, with strong value for money and multiple awards, offers educational value that justifies the higher price compared to Kidwill Abacus, but remains more affordable than Shifu Plugo despite the technological differences.

€23,50 – $8.00
Pricing

Best math game for home

ThinkFun Prime Climb

ThinkFun Prime Climb, priced between Kidwill Abacus and La La Llama Counting Ladybugs, offers good value for money with a score of 7.9. It lacks technology but makes up for it with 50 pieces and a board game theme, making it worth the price compared to simpler games like Kidwill.

€28,99 – $33.95
Pricing

Best STEM toys for math

Learning Resources Fraction Formula Game

The Learning Resources Fraction Formula Game, with its innovation award, offers more features and educational value than Kidwill Abacus and La La Llama Counting Ladybugs, justifying its award through quality and recognition.

€33,28 – $18.99
Pricing

Best educational counting toy for 2 year olds

Learning Resources Smart Snacks Numbers Ice Creams

Smart Snacks Numbers Ice Creams, with its innovative awards, is priced between Kidwill Abacus and La La Llama Counting Ladybugs, but offers unique water resistance and a theme that appeals. Its price reflects its quality and innovation, despite fewer parts than Kidwill.

€39,95 – $24.94
Pricing

Best combination of screen and physicality

Shifu Plugo Voice Wiz Pack

Shifu Plugo Stem Wiz Pack, with its augmented reality technology and Smart Toy Awards, offers added value compared to simpler games such as Kidwill Abacus and La La Llama Counting Ladybugs, which contain no technology. This justifies the higher price.

€68,99 – $54.99
Pricing

The above list provides a good comparison when you are looking for value for money.

Below is the list of the best choices, sorted and compared by age suitability.

Best math toys for babies

Fisher-Price Linkimal's Counting Koala

The Fisher-Price Linkimals Counting Koala is suitable for ages 0 and up, making it ideal for younger children compared to products such as the Learning Resources Smart Snacks Numbers Ice Creams and La La Llama Counting Ladybugs, which are for ages 2 and up.

0 years
From

Best educational counting toy for 2 year olds

Learning Resources Smart Snacks Numbers Ice Creams

Learning Resources Smart Snacks Numbers Ice Cream, aimed at 2-4 years, fills a niche between Fisher-Price's Counting Koala (0-3 years) and La La Llama Counting Ladybugs (2-5 years) with its ice cream theme and simplicity, appealing for the youngest target group with safe, non-toxic material.

2 years
From

Best wooden montessori math toys for toddlers

La La Llama Counting Ladybugs

La La Llama Counting Ladybugs is more suitable for toddlers (3-4 years) compared to Fisher-Price Linkimal's Counting Koala, aimed at babies (1-2 years), and offers longer usability than Learning Resources Smart Snacks Numbers Ice Creams, which is up to 4 years goes.

2 years
From

Best abacus for addition

Kidwill Abacus With Assignments

The Kidwill Abacus is suitable for children aged 4-6 years, making it more complex than the Fisher-Price Linkimals and Learning Resources Smart Snacks, which are aimed at younger children (0-4 years). However, it is simpler than the Shifu Plugo and Thinkfun Math Dice Junior, which are designed for ages 4 and up, with a focus on more advanced educational concepts.

2 years
From

Best math toys for toddlers

Cool Toys Monkey Balance

Cool Toys Monkey Balance, suitable for 3 to 5 year olds, fills a specific age niche, ideal for toddlers just before school age. Compared to Fisher-Price Linkimals and Learning Resources Smart Snacks, which target younger kids (0-4 years), it provides a bridge to more complex concepts like La La Llama Counting Ladybugs, but remains more accessible than older kid options like Kidwill Abacus and Playos Math Sticks, designed for 4 to 6 year olds.

3 years
From

Overall best Montessori toys

Playos Math Sticks

Playos Math Sticks, suitable from ages 3 with a peak at 4-5 years, fills an age gap left by Kidwill Abacus and Cool Toys Monkey Balance, but provides a bridge to more complex concepts like Shifu Plugo Stem Wiz Pack for older children.

3 years
From

Best combination of screen and physicality

Shifu Plugo Voice Wiz Pack

Shifu Plugo Stem Wiz Pack, aimed at children aged 4-7, fills a specific age group that falls between the Fisher-Price Linkimals and Thinkfun Math Dice Junior, offering a multi-functional gaming experience differentiated by STEM education for young children .

4 years
From

Best math toy for 8 year olds

Thinkfun Math Dice Junior

Thinkfun Math Dice Junior, aimed at children aged 5 to 8, fills a specific age group that is older than the target group of Fisher-Price Linkimals and Learning Resources Smart Snacks, but younger than the target group of Shifu Plugo Stem Wiz Pack and Learning Resources Fraction Formula Game. It provides a bridge between simple introductory games and more complex educational games, ideal for developing basic math skills in young children.

5 years
From

Best STEM toys for math

Learning Resources Fraction Formula Game

Learning Resources Fraction Formula Game is suitable for children aged 7 to 12, making it ideal for a slightly older audience compared to most other products. It is better suited to the developmental stage of children aged 8-10 years, unlike, for example, Fisher-Price Linkimals and Learning Resources Smart Snacks Numbers Ice Creams, which are aimed at toddlers. This game provides a more challenging learning experience for children who already have a basic understanding of numbers and are ready for more complex math concepts such as fractions.

7 years
From

Best math game for home

ThinkFun Prime Climb

ThinkFun Prime Climb, suitable for 8-16 year olds, is aimed at an older audience than most of the games mentioned, such as Fisher-Price's Counting Koala and Learning Resources' Numbers Ice Cream, which focus more on toddlers. This makes Prime Climb ideal for teens who can handle more complex board games.

8 years
From

The above list gives you an indication of the age suitability of each of the top choices.

Below is the list of the top 5 best choices, sorted and compared by playing time.

Best combination of screen and physicality

Shifu Plugo Voice Wiz Pack

Shifu Plugo Stem Wiz Pack, with its extended playtime, offers a deeper, solo play experience than ThinkFun Prime Climb and Math Dice Junior, which have less sensory involvement, through app interactivity and sound stimulation.

Extended (30+ min)
Playtime

Best math game for home

ThinkFun Prime Climb

ThinkFun Prime Climb offers longer play times than Thinkfun Math Dice Junior and Learning Resources Fraction Formula Game, ideal for deeper competitive interactions and strategic thinking, while emphasizing social and imagination aspects.

Extended (30+ min)
Playtime

Best math toy for 8 year olds

Thinkfun Math Dice Junior

Thinkfun Math Dice Junior offers a competitive play mode with a play time of 10-30 minutes, similar to Playos Math Sticks and Learning Resources Fraction Formula Game, but offers more social interaction and interactivity, making longer play sessions more fun.

Longer (10-30 min)
Playtime

Overall best Montessori toys

Playos Math Sticks

Playos Math Sticks offer a longer playing time than Thinkfun Math Dice Junior and Learning Resources Fraction Formula Game, focusing on solo play and concentration, ideal for quiet, individual learning moments indoors.

Longer (10-30 min)
Playtime

Best STEM toys for math

Learning Resources Fraction Formula Game

Learning Resources Fraction Formula Game offers a competitive playing experience with a play time of 10-30 minutes, similar to Thinkfun Math Dice Junior and Playos Math Sticks. Unlike Shifu Plugo and ThinkFun Prime Climb, which are solo or competitive with a longer play time (30+ min), Fraction Formula encourages active social interaction and strategic thinking within a more limited time, making it attractive for quick but engaging play sessions.

Longer (10-30 min)
Playtime

The above list gives you an indication of how long the expected play time with each of the top choices is per play session.

Below is the list of the top 5 best choices, sorted and compared by sustainability.

Best math game for home

ThinkFun Prime Climb

ThinkFun Prime Climb, made of cardboard, scores high in sustainability compared to Learning Resources Smart Snacks, which uses plastic, which is less environmentally friendly. Cardboard is easier to recycle and less burdensome.

8.9
Sustainability

Best educational counting toy for 2 year olds

Learning Resources Smart Snacks Numbers Ice Creams

Learning Resources Smart Snacks Numbers Ice cream, made of plastic, scores high in sustainability compared to Kidwill Abacus, also made of wood MDF, but with a lower sustainability score. This shows that material choice is not the only factor in environmental friendliness.

8.8
Sustainability

Overall best Montessori toys

Playos Math Sticks

Playos Math Sticks, made from MDF wood, are more durable than Kidwill Abacus, also made from MDF, but less durable than ThinkFun Prime Climb, made from cardboard, which is easier to recycle.

8.5
Sustainability

Best wooden montessori math toys for toddlers

La La Llama Counting Ladybugs

La La Llama Counting Ladybugs, made of MDF wood, scores lower in sustainability than ThinkFun Prime Climb and Learning Resources Smart Snacks, mainly due to the use of less sustainable materials compared to cardboard and the higher scores of competitors.

7.5
Sustainability

Best abacus for addition

Kidwill Abacus With Assignments

Kidwill Abacus, made of MDF wood, lags behind ThinkFun Prime Climb in terms of sustainability, mainly due to the use of cardboard, and Learning Resources Smart Snacks, due to the use of plastic, which can be recyclable.

7.2
Sustainability

The above list gives you an indication of the sustainability and environmental impact of each of the top choices.

Below is the list of the top 5 best choices, sorted and compared by educational value.

Best combination of screen and physicality

Shifu Plugo Voice Wiz Pack

Shifu Plugo Stem Wiz Pack, with its augmented reality and magnetic construction, offers a richer, multi-functional learning experience compared to ThinkFun Prime Climb and Learning Resources Smart Snacks Numbers Ice Creams, which use less technology and sensory stimulation.

9.1
Edu score

Best math game for home

ThinkFun Prime Climb

ThinkFun Prime Climb offers extended play time for in-depth math development, similar to Learning Resources Fraction Formula Game, but lacks the technological innovation and sensory stimulation of Shifu Plugo Stem Wiz Pack.

8.9
Edu score

Best STEM toys for math

Learning Resources Fraction Formula Game

Learning Resources Fraction Formula Game encourages mathematical thinking through stacking, similar to Thinkfun Math Dice Junior, but without technology integration like Shifu Plugo Stem Wiz Pack's augmented reality, which can lead to a more traditional, but effective learning experience.

8.8
Edu score

Best educational counting toy for 2 year olds

Learning Resources Smart Snacks Numbers Ice Creams

Learning Resources Smart Snacks Numbers Ice Cream, with a focus on simple cognitive development and math, offers shorter play time and lacks technology compared to Shifu Plugo Stem Wiz Pack, which uses augmented reality and sound stimulation for longer, interactive learning sessions.

8.6
Edu score

Best math toy for 8 year olds

Thinkfun Math Dice Junior

Thinkfun Math Dice Junior, with a focus on math, lacks the technological and augmented reality elements of Shifu Plugo Stem Wiz Pack, potentially offering a richer learning experience through interactive technology. However, compared to Learning Resources Smart Snacks Numbers Ice Creams, it offers a longer play time, which can mean more opportunity for educational development.

8.5
Edu score

The above list gives you an indication of the educational value and learning objectives of each of the top choices.

When assessing educational math toys, we look at quality, safety, educational value, and how the toy contributes to STEM education.

In the next section you'll find in-depth reviews of the 10 best math toys, ranked by our 'Toy Score'. This score rates toys based on interaction, educational value, fun, and how they contribute to the development of essential STEM skills.

Best combination of screen and physicality
8.4
Toy score
Toy score
8.4
️️
Edu score
9.1
️️
Social score
7.3
️️
Score components:
30%
8.7
Play value
30%
8.9
Price quality
20%
7.5
Replayability
10%
9.0
Safety
5%
6.5
Sustainability
5%
8.2
Materials
What it is: How fun it is to play and how long it will last, while taking into account how much value you get for your money.
Score components:
55%
9.8
Educational
15%
7.5
Replayability
10%
8.7
Play value
10%
8.9
Price quality
10%
8.0
Awards
What it is: How educational it is, while taking into account fun, value for money and any awards the brand has won.
Score components:
30%
6.5
Sustainability
25%
8.2
Materials
15%
7.0
Gender inclusive
15%
7.0
Culture inclusive
10%
7.5
Brand reputation
5%
8.0
Awards
What it is: Whether you can buy this safely knowing the social impact of the brand on the environment, sustainability and inclusivity.
Best for
  • Families who are happy to play educational games on the iPad
  • Combination of digital and physical
Less good
  • You have to look at a screen
  • Translations are not perfect
  • From: 4 years
  • Best: 4 – 7 years
  • Up to: 8 years
  • Material: Plastic
  • Number of parts: 35
  • Dimensions: 38,1 x 25,4 x 12,7 cm (15 x 10 x 5 inches)
  • Price at time of writing: €68,99 – $54.99
  • Durability: None
  • Theme: Games and puzzles, Game
  • Storage: Storage compartments
  • Safety parts: None
  • Playtime: Extended (30+ min)
  • Learning objective: Cognitive development, Problem solving

A great piece of AR tech with an educational approach. The Shifu Plugo does well on several fronts, from problem solving to learning to spell and yes, also arithmetic.

Plugo is an app in which you can use multiple hardware. The app uses your iPad's camera to see what you put in front of him in the real world, on the included play mat. With the Pack you get the play mat and 3 parts, which you can also buy separately with or without a mat (and more accessories are available).

This combination of a game on the iPad with the physical playing pieces makes it extremely educational and also appeals to the imagination more than an app alone. It is well thought out and actually educational.

Learning to calculate is well organized. You can initially set your child's school level, which will make the games more difficult or easier. We started at about the beginning with our 5-year-old son and they are simple sums that you can solve with a few numbers.

But you can quickly make it more difficult for yourself. And the different games are a lot of fun to play. By far the number 1 game to learn mathematics.

2. Learning Resources Smart Snacks Numbers Ice Creams (8.1)

Best educational counting toy for 2 year olds
8.1
Toy score
Toy score
8.1
️️
Edu score
8.6
️️
Social score
7.9
️️
Score components:
30%
8.7
Play value
30%
7.1
Price quality
20%
8.8
Replayability
10%
8.5
Safety
5%
8.8
Sustainability
5%
7.0
Materials
What it is: How fun it is to play and how long it will last, while taking into account how much value you get for your money.
Score components:
55%
8.7
Educational
15%
8.8
Replayability
10%
8.7
Play value
10%
7.1
Price quality
10%
9.5
Awards
What it is: How educational it is, while taking into account fun, value for money and any awards the brand has won.
Score components:
30%
8.8
Sustainability
25%
7.0
Materials
15%
7.0
Gender inclusive
15%
7.0
Culture inclusive
10%
9.5
Brand reputation
5%
9.5
Awards
What it is: Whether you can buy this safely knowing the social impact of the brand on the environment, sustainability and inclusivity.
Best for
  • Perfect for first math
  • Also great for pretend play
Less good
  • Not self-correcting
  • Made of plastic
  • From: 2 years
  • Best: 2 – 4 years
  • Up to: 4 years
  • Material: Plastic
  • Number of parts: 20
  • Dimensions: 25,4 x 25,4 x 7,62 cm
  • Price at time of writing: €39,95 – $24.94
  • Durability: None
  • Theme: Food and food related, Ice cream
  • Storage: Normal
  • Safety Components: Non-toxic material
  • Playtime: Short (<10 min)
  • Learning objective: Cognitive development, Mathematics/arithmetic

Educational toys that teach math, but are also fun for the imagination and offer open-ended play. The set contains 10 pops and 10 matching cases, each with a number and corresponding colored dots. This makes it extremely versatile and can be easily combined with other play kitchen toys. Perfect for both play value and replayability.

I was also curious if the shells were self-correcting, but unfortunately they are not. They all fit on any popsicle, but the color of the dots corresponds to the “color coating” of the popsicle. This gives children a 50/50 chance of guessing the correct answer if they are unsure. That makes the educational value slightly lower than it could have been.

It's made of sturdy plastic and feels like it could last a long time, even the joint at the stick.

3. La La Llama Counting Ladybugs (8.1)

Best wooden montessori math toys for toddlers
8.1
Toy score
Toy score
8.1
️️
Edu score
8.0
️️
Social score
7.2
️️
Score components:
30%
8.1
Play value
30%
8.2
Price quality
20%
7.7
Replayability
10%
9.0
Safety
5%
7.5
Sustainability
5%
7.8
Materials
What it is: How fun it is to play and how long it will last, while taking into account how much value you get for your money.
Score components:
55%
8.6
Educational
15%
7.7
Replayability
10%
8.1
Play value
10%
8.2
Price quality
10%
5.0
Awards
What it is: How educational it is, while taking into account fun, value for money and any awards the brand has won.
Score components:
30%
7.5
Sustainability
25%
7.8
Materials
15%
7.0
Gender inclusive
15%
7.0
Culture inclusive
10%
6.0
Brand reputation
5%
5.0
Awards
What it is: Whether you can buy this safely knowing the social impact of the brand on the environment, sustainability and inclusivity.
Best for
  • Large animals are easy to catch
  • Made of wood with sturdy felt bag
Less good
  • Only one way to play
  • From: 2 years
  • Best: 3 – 4 years
  • Up to: 5 years
  • Material: Wood, MDF
  • Number of parts: 12
  • Dimensions: 12,7 x 12,7 x 15,24 cm (5 x 5 x 6 inches)
  • Price at time of writing: €19,99 – $29.89
  • Durability: None
  • Theme: Animals, Game
  • Storage: Storage compartments
  • Safety parts: No small parts
  • Playtime: Short (<10 min)
  • Learning objective: STEM / STEAM, Mathematics / arithmetic

These ladybugs are very cute and quite large, just right for the 3 year old hands they are intended for. A fun game to play or just to put the animals in the barrel, which is nice and soft and made of good material.

With the numbers on the bottom and the equal number of dots on top, it is a fun game to practice counting and immediately see if you got it right.

The material is good, with wood and felt, and that makes them slightly more durable than many plastic toys.

4. ThinkFun Prime Climb (8.0)

Best math game for home
8.0
Toy score
Toy score
8.0
️️
Edu score
8.9
️️
Social score
8.2
️️
Score components:
30%
8.0
Play value
30%
7.9
Price quality
20%
7.9
Replayability
10%
8.0
Safety
5%
8.9
Sustainability
5%
8.0
Materials
What it is: How fun it is to play and how long it will last, while taking into account how much value you get for your money.
Score components:
55%
9.5
Educational
15%
7.9
Replayability
10%
8.0
Play value
10%
7.9
Price quality
10%
9.0
Awards
What it is: How educational it is, while taking into account fun, value for money and any awards the brand has won.
Score components:
30%
8.9
Sustainability
25%
8.0
Materials
15%
7.0
Gender inclusive
15%
7.0
Culture inclusive
10%
9.5
Brand reputation
5%
9.0
Awards
What it is: Whether you can buy this safely knowing the social impact of the brand on the environment, sustainability and inclusivity.
Best for
  • Colorful game board appeals to the imagination
  • Educational for mathematics and logical reasoning
Less good
  • Difficult to get through
  • From: 8 years
  • Best: 10 – 16 years
  • Up to: 16 years
  • Material: Cardboard
  • Number of parts: 50
  • Dimensions: 25,4 x 25,4 x 7,11 cm (10 x 10 x 2.8 inches)
  • Price at time of writing: €28,99 – $33.95
  • Durability: None
  • Theme: Games and puzzles, Board games
  • Storage: Compact
  • Safety parts: None
  • Playtime: Extended (30+ min)
  • Learning objective: Cognitive development, Mathematics/arithmetic

Prime Climb is a unique and dynamic board game that combines math and strategy. The game board has a beautiful structure with colorful numbers and open spaces. Players use combinations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to move their pawns to the center of the board. The game is easy to learn, but provides an excellent opportunity to explore and practice mathematical concepts.

Prime Climb is an excellent family game because it promotes mental gymnastics and is flexible for different ages. Children and adults can play together, giving everyone the opportunity to improve their math skills and practice strategic thinking. The game is not only fun but also educational, making it a perfect way to learn math in an engaging way. In addition, Prime Climb encourages shared play and promotes a love of numbers and mathematics.

5. Thinkfun Math Dice Junior (7.8)

Best math toy for 8 year olds
7.8
Toy score
Toy score
7.8
️️
Edu score
8.5
️️
Social score
7.4
️️
Score components:
30%
7.4
Play value
30%
8.8
Price quality
20%
7.0
Replayability
10%
8.6
Safety
5%
6.8
Sustainability
5%
7.5
Materials
What it is: How fun it is to play and how long it will last, while taking into account how much value you get for your money.
Score components:
55%
8.9
Educational
15%
7.0
Replayability
10%
7.4
Play value
10%
8.8
Price quality
10%
9.0
Awards
What it is: How educational it is, while taking into account fun, value for money and any awards the brand has won.
Score components:
30%
6.8
Sustainability
25%
7.5
Materials
15%
7.0
Gender inclusive
15%
7.0
Culture inclusive
10%
9.5
Brand reputation
5%
9.0
Awards
What it is: Whether you can buy this safely knowing the social impact of the brand on the environment, sustainability and inclusivity.
Best for
  • Learn to count in a fun dice game
  • Easy to follow
Less good
  • It's just dice
  • From: 5 years
  • Best: 6 – 8 years
  • Up to: 8 years
  • Material: Plastic
  • Number of parts: 8
  • Dimensions: 13 x 4,45 x 17,78 cm (5.12 x 1.75 x 7 inches)
  • Price at time of writing: €23,50 – $8.00
  • Durability: None
  • Theme: Games and puzzles, Game
  • Storage: Compact
  • Safety parts: None
  • Playing time: Longer (10-30 min)
  • Learning objective: STEM / STEAM, Mathematics / arithmetic

Thinkfun Math Dice is a fantastic game that I highly recommend. As a world leader in brain and logic games, Thinkfun has proven itself as a reliable brand trusted by families around the world, with over 50 million games sold. It develops critical skills and builds mental math and problem-solving skills through fun play.

The game comes with 2 target setting dice, 3 scoring dice, a lesson booklet and a storage bag, making it easy to clean and store. The instructions are clear and easy to follow, with a quality manual. You can start playing immediately. Math Dice is one of Thinkfun's most popular classroom games and a great gift for kids who love clever games and a challenge.

6. Playos Math Sticks (7.7)

Overall best Montessori toys
7.7
Toy score
Toy score
7.7
️️
Edu score
8.3
️️
Social score
7.5
️️
Score components:
30%
6.5
Play value
30%
9.4
Price quality
20%
6.0
Replayability
10%
8.6
Safety
5%
8.5
Sustainability
5%
8.5
Materials
What it is: How fun it is to play and how long it will last, while taking into account how much value you get for your money.
Score components:
55%
9.6
Educational
15%
6.0
Replayability
10%
6.5
Play value
10%
9.4
Price quality
10%
5.0
Awards
What it is: How educational it is, while taking into account fun, value for money and any awards the brand has won.
Score components:
30%
8.5
Sustainability
25%
8.5
Materials
15%
7.0
Gender inclusive
15%
7.0
Culture inclusive
10%
5.0
Brand reputation
5%
5.0
Awards
What it is: Whether you can buy this safely knowing the social impact of the brand on the environment, sustainability and inclusivity.
Best for
  • Great educational value and game all in one
  • Wood is well rounded and storage compartments are useful
Less good
  • No carrying case with lid
  • From: 3 years
  • Best: 4 – 5 years
  • Up to: 6 years
  • Material: Wood, MDF
  • Number of parts: 73
  • Dimensions: 22,86 x 15,24 x 2,03 cm (9 x 6 x 0,8 inches)
  • Price at time of writing: €22,95 – $8.28
  • Durability: None
  • Theme: Purely educational, None
  • Storage: Storage compartments
  • Safety Components: Non-toxic material
  • Playing time: Longer (10-30 min)
  • Learning objective: STEM / STEAM, Mathematics / arithmetic

Because the Playos Math Sticks are made of bare wood and offer a tangible experience in learning math, this is our best wooden Montessori toy.

The combination of sticks and number blocks makes it very intuitive and easy to use and you can easily clean it up with the tray with storage compartments.

The use of MDF may make it less of a real wooden toy. Yet the durability is very good despite that and the price-quality ratio is therefore extremely high.

More open-ended play, opportunities to mix and match with other toys or social interaction could have increased the play value, but in the end it's a very educational toy that encourages enough play to ensure they enjoy it too.

7. Fisher-Price Linkimals Counting Koala (7.6)

Best math toys for babies
7.6
Toy score
Toy score
7.6
️️
Edu score
7.7
️️
Social score
6.5
️️
Score components:
30%
7.8
Play value
30%
7.8
Price quality
20%
7.0
Replayability
10%
8.9
Safety
5%
6.0
Sustainability
5%
6.6
Materials
What it is: How fun it is to play and how long it will last, while taking into account how much value you get for your money.
Score components:
55%
8.4
Educational
15%
7.0
Replayability
10%
7.8
Play value
10%
7.8
Price quality
10%
5.0
Awards
What it is: How educational it is, while taking into account fun, value for money and any awards the brand has won.
Score components:
30%
6.0
Sustainability
25%
6.6
Materials
15%
7.0
Gender inclusive
15%
7.0
Culture inclusive
10%
7.2
Brand reputation
5%
5.0
Awards
What it is: Whether you can buy this safely knowing the social impact of the brand on the environment, sustainability and inclusivity.
Best for
  • Good way to hear numbers and counting
  • Interactive and cute
Less good
  • A lot of plastic and a lot of light and sound
  • Too bad the koala isn't soft
  • From: 0 years
  • Best: 1 – 2 years
  • Up to: 3 years
  • Material: Plastic
  • Number of parts: 1
  • Dimensions: 9 x 25,3 x 25,3 cm (3.54 x 9.96 x 9.96 inches)
  • Price at time of writing: €22,99 – $19.99
  • Durability: None
  • Theme: Animals, Cuddly toy
  • Storage: Tricky
  • Safety parts: No small parts
  • Playtime: Short (<10 min)
  • Learning objective: STEM / STEAM, Mathematics / arithmetic

The Linkimals Koala from Fisher-Price is a cute animal that teaches you to count. I'm not a fan of loud plastic toys with lots of light and I prefer babies to discover for themselves what toys can do, but there are still some educational aspects to them.

This way he learns the numbers and counting in a calm, clear way. With soft ears and balls in the paw, it also provides a bit of a tactile experience, but it is not a cuddly toy.

Many parents choose this type of toy for their babies, and fortunately this Koala from Fisher-Price is a very educational one.

8.Learning Resources Fraction Formula Game (7.5)

Best STEM toys for math
7.5
Toy score
Toy score
7.5
️️
Edu score
8.8
️️
Social score
7.1
️️
Score components:
30%
7.3
Play value
30%
8.0
Price quality
20%
6.8
Replayability
10%
8.4
Safety
5%
6.3
Sustainability
5%
6.8
Materials
What it is: How fun it is to play and how long it will last, while taking into account how much value you get for your money.
Score components:
55%
9.7
Educational
15%
6.8
Replayability
10%
7.3
Play value
10%
8.0
Price quality
10%
9.5
Awards
What it is: How educational it is, while taking into account fun, value for money and any awards the brand has won.
Score components:
30%
6.3
Sustainability
25%
6.8
Materials
15%
7.0
Gender inclusive
15%
7.0
Culture inclusive
10%
9.5
Brand reputation
5%
9.5
Awards
What it is: Whether you can buy this safely knowing the social impact of the brand on the environment, sustainability and inclusivity.
Best for
  • Great game yet educational
  • They have found a way to explain fractions simply
Less good
  • An interest in math is a must
  • From: 7 years
  • Best: 8 – 10 years
  • Up to: 12 years
  • Material: Plastic
  • Number of parts: 128
  • Dimensions: 32 x 21,84 x 6,86 cm (12.6 x 8.6 x 2.7 inches)
  • Price at time of writing: €33,28 – $18.99
  • Durability: None
  • Theme: Games and puzzles, Game
  • Storage: Normal
  • Safety parts: None
  • Playing time: Longer (10-30 min)
  • Learning objective: STEM / STEAM, Mathematics / arithmetic

Fractions are one of the toughest subjects in school and can be intimidating even for adults.

But with the Educational Insights Fraction Formula Game, your kids will never notice they are learning!

This awesome set is packed with an assortment of items – cylinders, tiles and a guidebook that works together to teach them fractions. Your child will puzzle with it like never before in a fun matching game!

Fraction Formula Game is the most exciting way to teach your child to multiply fractions. No boring lessons and problems.

It contains a fanny pack with everything you need: 1 Fraction Guide, 4 Cylinders (2 of each color), 240 Tiles (24 tiles in 6 colors), 8 Dividers, and 12 Red Crowns.

Simplify some basics without taking the stress away!

9. Kidwill Abacus With Assignments (7.4)

Best abacus for addition
7.4
Toy score
Toy score
7.4
️️
Edu score
8.2
️️
Social score
7.1
️️
Score components:
30%
7.0
Play value
30%
7.9
Price quality
20%
6.8
Replayability
10%
8.5
Safety
5%
7.2
Sustainability
5%
7.9
Materials
What it is: How fun it is to play and how long it will last, while taking into account how much value you get for your money.
Score components:
55%
9.4
Educational
15%
6.8
Replayability
10%
7.0
Play value
10%
7.9
Price quality
10%
5.0
Awards
What it is: How educational it is, while taking into account fun, value for money and any awards the brand has won.
Score components:
30%
7.2
Sustainability
25%
7.9
Materials
15%
7.0
Gender inclusive
15%
7.0
Culture inclusive
10%
6.0
Brand reputation
5%
5.0
Awards
What it is: Whether you can buy this safely knowing the social impact of the brand on the environment, sustainability and inclusivity.
Best for
  • Parents who like wood more than plastic
  • Want to teach children abacus counting
Less good
  • Having patience for it is difficult
  • From: 2 years
  • Best: 4 – 6 years
  • Up to: 6 years
  • Material: Wood, MDF
  • Number of parts: 182
  • Dimensions: 28 x 3 x 23,5 cm (11.02 x 1.18 x 9.25 inches)
  • Price at time of writing: €11,99 – $17.99
  • Durability: None
  • Theme: Games and puzzles, Game
  • Storage: Collapsible
  • Safety parts: None
  • Playtime: Short (<10 min)
  • Learning objective: STEM / STEAM, Mathematics / arithmetic

We don't see the classic abacus much in our daily lives anymore, but we still often see it on children's toys. For example, on a play cube as one of the activities. Yet it is only used by babies to slide some beads back and forth.

Kidwill has gone in a different direction and added counting sticks and assignments to make it a real educational toy. With the number and letter cards and the cheerful colors together with the natural wooden frame, this is a toy that they can learn a lot from.

10. Cool Toys Monkey Balance (7.3)

Best math toys for toddlers
7.3
Toy score
Toy score
7.3
️️
Edu score
8.0
️️
Social score
6.4
️️
Score components:
30%
7.3
Play value
30%
7.8
Price quality
20%
6.8
Replayability
10%
7.5
Safety
5%
6.0
Sustainability
5%
6.6
Materials
What it is: How fun it is to play and how long it will last, while taking into account how much value you get for your money.
Score components:
55%
9.1
Educational
15%
6.8
Replayability
10%
7.3
Play value
10%
7.8
Price quality
10%
5.0
Awards
What it is: How educational it is, while taking into account fun, value for money and any awards the brand has won.
Score components:
30%
6.0
Sustainability
25%
6.6
Materials
15%
7.0
Gender inclusive
15%
7.0
Culture inclusive
10%
6.0
Brand reputation
5%
5.0
Awards
What it is: Whether you can buy this safely knowing the social impact of the brand on the environment, sustainability and inclusivity.
Best for
  • Great first introduction to STEM
  • Teaches math in a fun way
Less good
  • They grow out quickly
  • From: 3 years
  • Best: 3 – 4 years
  • Up to: 5 years
  • Material: Plastic
  • Number of parts: 64
  • Dimensions: 26,67 x 26,16 x 7,37 cm (10.5 x 10.3 x 2.9 inches)
  • Price at time of writing: €21,99 – $19.99
  • Durability: None
  • Theme: Games and puzzles, Puzzle
  • Storage: Normal
  • Safety parts: None
  • Playtime: Short (<10 min)
  • Learning objective: STEM / STEAM, Mathematics / arithmetic

This is a great math game! With this game your kids can work on the basics of addition, subtraction and counting.

It's a fun and engaging way to build basic math skills!

The numbers only go up to 19, so you can't use it for double-number arithmetic, which is the main drawback.

How do we test educational math toys?

To test educational math toys, we first look at the play value and how it stimulates learning. It is important that the toys match the age and developmental stage of the child, from toddler to primary school.

We assess whether the toy introduces basic mathematical concepts, such as counting and measuring, in a playful way and whether it offers space for developing more complex skills.

We pay attention to the quality and durability of the toys. Good educational toys have often been recognized by renowned institutions and may have won awards. This recognition gives an indication of the educational value and safety.

The level of interaction and how the toy promotes communication and social skills is also crucial. Educational toys should encourage children to work together and solve problems. This not only develops cognitive, but also social skills.

Edu score

We evaluate replayability; the toy should remain interesting by offering different levels of play or expansion options. This ensures that children continue to learn and discover.

Ultimately, you have to get something out of it, so toys that teach concepts for construction and other STEM projects score very well.

What is engineering mathematics or “shop math”?

Shop math is an essential skill that refers to the mathematical calculations and concepts involved in the industrial and especially metalworking industries. It involves troubleshooting and calculating material quantities and work available to ensure accuracy and efficiency.

Toys can help teach shop math by providing hands-on experience in applying math concepts, such as calculating measurements and understanding geometry, allowing children and adults to develop and reinforce the basic principles in an interactive way.

Are math toys an important part of STEM education?

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. It aims to prepare children for a wide range of future careers by teaching them skills in these four key areas.

Math toys are important in STEM education because they enable children to experience and understand mathematical concepts from an early age. This STEM toys are designed to teach children in a playful way, spark their interest in mathematics and empower them by developing skills such as problem-solving thinking, creativity and spatial awareness.

Always something to do for the holidays or rainy day?

Play Choice now has the ultimate activity book collection, with over 60 pages of fun coloring pages and educational puzzles.

Joost Nusselder, the founder of Speelkeuze.nl is a content marketer, father and loves trying out new toys. As a child he came into contact with everything related to games when his mother started the Tinnen Soldaat in Ede. Now he and his team create helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with fun play ideas.