The Best After-School Math Programs

Finding the right after-school math program for your child can ensure their success. Whether they need help catching up with their school work, are looking for more challenging material than they get in class or want a confidence boost for an upcoming test, after-school programs make a significant difference. However, there are many options to choose from. 

The following are the best after-school math programs that cater to children of different learning styles, grade levels and goals. They offer everything from hands-on problem-solving to personalized tutoring, so there’s something on this list for every budding mathematician. Here are some of the best after-school math programs for your child.

1. Russian School of Mathematics

Key Features: Proven methodologies, expert teachers, award-winning approach

At the Russian School of Mathematics, K-12 students can improve their math fluency with programs designed to meet each child’s skill level. With multiple levels in each grade, students can learn in an environment with the appropriate support and challenge.

The Russian math approach derives from decades of research and success in institutions across Russia, China, India and Europe. This after-school math program harnesses every child’s potential to succeed with a foundational and innovative approach to math education. Students also have the opportunity to engage in individual and team math competitions, at both national and international levels.

2. Kumon

Key Features: Trusted worldwide, homework assignments, interactive

Kumon is one of the most popular after-school math programs and has been around for many years. Parents worldwide trust this method and have experienced success with their children participating. Kumon is an excellent option if your child needs one-on-one tutoring. 

Children usually attend two half-hour classes a week at a Kumon center and complete other assignments on their own time when they’re not in class. There are classes for every level of education, from preschool to high school. Kumon is an interactive learning solution that moves away from the traditional rote-learning method of the classroom to keep children engaged. 

3. Mathnasium 

Key features: Online learning, one-on-one classes, monthly subscription available

If you’re not able to get your child to a math center, or they prefer online learning, Mathnasium is an excellent platform to sign your child up for. Mathnasium offers a hybrid model where your child can take classes online or at an in-person center. Whichever option they choose, they will be provided one-on-one tutoring based on their understanding and capabilities. 

One of Mathnasium's unique features is that it does not give the children homework but works with them on their existing homework. The lessons are usually taken via a monthly subscription service, however, it is possible to pay per lesson if you so choose. 

4. Khan Academy 

Key features: Preschool to college classes, bonus material to prepare for next grade, dashboard to monitor progress

Khan Academy is the solution for you if you’re looking for an after-school program that will carry your child from preschool through to their college years. Khan Academy lessons are structured by grade, but there is bonus material to help your child prepare for a certain grade. If you want to prepare your child for middle school math, you can start with classes the year before they go. 

Khan Academy aims to make learning fun for your child by offering mastery points for completing the many exercises on the platform. Your child’s tutors can monitor their progress through their learning dashboard and intervene accordingly. 

5. XtraMath 

Key Features: Gives foundational math understanding, access via app, free and paid version available 

XtraMath is a program that offers lessons to elementary students. It hopes to help them gain a foundational understanding of math before they delve into more complex topics in higher grades. The program aims to help children recall facts, master basic mathematical concepts and increase their mathematical fluency. 

The program is offered via an app on Apple, Android and Amazon. Although the app has paid options, you can also use the basic free version to teach your child from the comfort of your home. 

6. YupMath

Key Features: 24/7 access to tutors, heavily vetted tutors, dashboard to monitor progress

YupMath is the perfect platform for you to use if you’re looking for a tutor to speak to at any time of the day or night. This platform provides 24/7 access to private, expert tutors who can help your child overcome any obstacles they may have in the classroom. 

This app, backed by Standford, only accepts about 5% of applicants for tutoring positions. This ensures that the person assisting your child in learning has an unmatched level of expertise. The tutors are also provided with ongoing training while teaching. A bonus of this site is that you can access your child’s learning dashboard to monitor their progress and find support resources. 

7. Adventure Academy

Key Features: Animations, interactive, online platform, 30-day free trial

If your child is between the ages of eight and thirteen, Adventure Academy is the perfect way to get them excited about their math progress. Adventure Academy provides gamified learning that brings a sense of fun and excitement into the lessons. 

Adventure Academy is another online platform. The platform provides a 30-day free trial, after which you begin paying for the service monthly. The best thing about this platform is that it offers many other subjects, too. 

8. Preply

Key features: Platform to find private tutors, fully customizable experience, easily switch tutors

Looking for a private tutor can be daunting if it's your first time. Preply, though, is available to make it far more manageable. It is a platform where you can look for a private tutor based on your preferences. 

Preply shows you where the tutors are located, their ratings based on past students and the fields of study they specialize in. You can also find a tutor based on your budget, as every tutor is priced differently. 

Once you have chosen a tutor, you can book as many lessons as you would like. As a bonus, it’s simple to change tutors if you decide that the one you picked at first is not a good match for your child. 

9. HippoCampus

Key Features: Middle school through college classes, educational videos with animation and humor, playlist customization

Another platform that offers many levels of math education from middle school through college is HippoCampus. The platform allows your child to watch educational videos on math and many other subjects engagingly and entertainingly. 

The videos are filled with animation and humor, so they will surely get your child excited about math again. The platform also allows you to build a custom curriculum for your child by choosing the videos your child needs to see and adding them to a playlist. 

10. MathPlanet 

Key Features: high school students, specializes in algebra, college entrance exam prep

MathPlanet is a platform aimed primarily at high school students. It offers preparation tests for college entrance exams and specializes in algebra. However, various other courses are also provided. 

Math Playground is an alternative to this for elementary-aged students who need math to be fun and engaging to get the most out of their learning experience. The platform even offers entry-level computer programming lessons for any child interested in exploring that world. 

11. OutSchool

Key Features: Ages four to 18, live video chats, customizable class size, prepared classes or customized classes

OutSchool is a platform that provides math tutoring for children ages four to 18. The platform allows your child to have live video chats with a tutor who has been carefully selected due to their expertise. 

You can filter your preferences by your child’s age, the class size you want them to be in, the price you want to pay and the curriculum your child follows. 

Many classes have already been prepared, and you can sign your child up for one or choose a class specifically catered to your child. Either way, OutSchool makes learning fun by using games and animations in its lessons. 

12. Student Hires Robotics

Key Features: Talks by industry professionals, ability to move up an age group based on understanding

If your child has shown a keen interest in math at school and is eager to expand their knowledge, Student Hires Robotics is a fantastic way for them to explore this. Your child will begin with one to two-hour classes, introducing them to different materials and electrical equipment and teaching them how machinery works. 

The classes will start with different Lego pieces and building sets to understand how to combine things. They will then receive talks from experts in the robotics field that will teach them about robotics technology and its benefits in daily life. Once they have mastered this section, they can join children in higher age ranges as they work with more advanced equipment. 

The Importance of Math for Children 

Math is one of the most important subjects at school for a good reason — it helps us make sense of the world around us. While we may not use algebra each day or have to solve equations at our day jobs, math builds our understanding of how things operate. 

Math is an excellent way for children to develop their brains and skills, which they will use in every other area of their lives without even realizing it. Here are some reasons why math is so important. 

It Develops Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a transferable skill that is important in any person’s life. If your child can solve complex math problems and reach logical conclusions, they have developed their critical thinking and will be able to navigate real-world problems more quickly. 

It Develops Flexible Thinking

Although critical thinking is essential for problem-solving, thinking outside the box is another invaluable skill that math provides children with. Flexibility in thinking means that your child can solve real-world problems with no logical solution. 

It Develops a Healthy Brain 

Studies have shown that children who practice math more often have healthier brains than those who don’t. As your child practices math, the areas of their brain involving attention and focus are being developed. As these brain areas become more robust, your child will likely have a better attention span and focus overall. 

It Develops Resilience

Math can be challenging, no matter how intelligent your child is. Your child will likely fail a few times when doing activities or solving problems. However, this builds up your child’s resilience and teaches them that failure is okay. 

As your child does math activities and runs into obstacles, they will learn that they don’t have to get everything perfect on the first try and can always try again until they overcome the obstacle. 

It Opens Career Paths 

If your child is unsure what they would like to do when leaving school, encourage their math practice now. There are many different career paths that require math in college and if your child has excellent math grades, those careers will be open to them. 

Having their choice of what they would like to study in college rather than picking from a list of available subjects based on their grades is a great way to build confidence and alleviate stress. 

The Final Grade 

Math is more than just numbers — it’s a critical thinking skill that builds problem-solving and critical thinking abilities, enhances logical thinking and can boost your child’s confidence. Whether your child needs extra assistance, wants to get ahead of their school work or wants to dive into the world of robotics and technology, after-school math programs will set them up for success. 

With these 12 programs, you have many great options to keep your child engaged and excited about math. Investing in their education helps them in school and prepares them for the future.