Fun Math Kids

Smart Starters · Ages 8 to 10

All Smart Starters games

Order of Operations Circuit

Decide which operation happens first: brackets, then multiply and divide, then add and subtract. For ages 8 to 10.

PuzzleOrder of operations: brackets, then multiply or divide, then add~9 min per level5 levelsAll devices
  • Free · no account required
  • COPPA compliant
  • +10 XP per level
  • 5 levels
  • Plays on all devices
  • Curriculum-aligned

The learning journey

Every activity is one step. Here is where this one fits.

  1. Play(you are here)Learn the idea in a game
  2. PractiseLock it in on paper
  3. ReviewCome back and keep it sharp
  4. MasterTake on a harder challenge
  5. AchieveEarn a certificate

About Order of Operations Circuit

Order of Operations Circuit shows an expression and asks the child to number the operations in the sequence they should be carried out. It never asks for the answer, and that is the entire design. Children who get these questions wrong almost never get the arithmetic wrong — they work left to right, because that is how reading works and nobody has given them a reason to do otherwise. Asking only for the order isolates the decision that actually fails, so a wrong response means exactly one thing and can be acted on, rather than being buried in a calculation that also happened to be right. The rule most often taught as a mnemonic hides a detail that matters more than the mnemonic does: multiplication and division rank equally and are worked left to right, and so do addition and subtraction. A child who believes multiplication always precedes division will get a whole class of questions wrong and will have been taught to. This game never generates a round where two same-rank operations could defensibly be ordered either way, and the left-to-right tie-break is stated in the hint rather than left to be discovered. Brackets appear from the second level and a fourth operation from the fourth, so the sequence grows as the reasoning does. Every step number is placed by tap or keyboard, each cell announces its operation to screen readers, and a wrong placement flashes and can be replaced. Free, no sign-up, no advertising to children.

Chosen by the skills this activity practises.

A hand for grown-ups

Before you start
These need thinking time, not speed. Set the expectation that a good puzzle is meant to take a while.
While they work
Resist jumping in. A long pause is a child thinking, not a child stuck — give it room before offering a nudge.
Afterwards
Ask "how did you work that out?" more than "is it right?". The reasoning is the skill; the answer is just the evidence.
Watch out for
Guessing to escape the discomfort of not knowing. Reassure them that being stuck for a bit is normal and fine.
Away from the screen
Play strategy games, do puzzles, ask "what comes next?" with patterns of objects. Reasoning is a muscle.

How to play

  1. A question appears on screen

    A maths question is shown in large text at the centre of the play area. A timer bar begins counting down from 110 seconds.

  2. Choose the correct answer

    Answer options are shown as large buttons. Tap and drag, or use the mouse on desktop. Any input method works — touch, mouse or keyboard.

  3. Build your streak

    Each consecutive correct answer increases your streak. A longer streak lights up the flame icon and adds a bonus multiplier to the XP you earn for the level.

  4. Finish the level

    Each level has 5 questions. Complete them to earn the full level reward (+10 XP, plus up to +10 XP for a perfect run). Progress is saved locally and shown on the Parent Dashboard.

🎓 Curriculum

Curriculum alignment

Mapped to national curriculum frameworks so teachers and parents can match practice to school standards.

  • United StatesCommon Core State Standards for Mathematics · order-of-operations, multiplication, additionAligned to order-of-operations, multiplication, addition number and operations objectives.
  • United KingdomNational Curriculum for England — Maths · order-of-operations, multiplication, additionAligned to order-of-operations, multiplication, addition number and operations objectives.
  • AustraliaAustralian Curriculum v9.0 — Mathematics · order-of-operations, multiplication, additionAligned to order-of-operations, multiplication, addition number and operations objectives.
  • CanadaPan-Canadian Provincial Standards · order-of-operations, multiplication, additionAligned to order-of-operations, multiplication, addition number and operations objectives.
❓ FAQ

Common questions from parents & teachers

Everything you need to know before your child starts playing.

  • Because children who get these wrong rarely get the arithmetic wrong — they work left to right. Asking only for the order isolates the decision that actually fails.

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