Tonight, a bit before midnight,  MathGirl Number Garden goes live. We are thrilled!

From now on, we’re combining the blogs for both apps under KidsMathApps.com. Updates and new games are coming for both brands, so keep in touch!

I’ve been traveling and couldn’t respond until now to this outstanding review. The Nerdy Teacher, Nick Provenzano wrote about his own struggle with math and his blow-by-blow experience with Arithmaroo Counting. He’s an amazing teacher.

Read yesterday’s post about grades and project teaching. Nick lives what he wants from his students–He explores, tries new things, and learns as he goes. He talks about his process. He explores how he learns. He makes it all real and fun.

Can he be cloned?

Hey kids of all ages (yes this includes you parents and teachers too)!!

How would YOU like to win a $10 iTunes or Amazon gift card?!

Arithmaroo has just launched its first official number contest and we want YOU to join us for some counting fun! We absolutely love playing with numbers and we are intrigued as to how creative you can get with them. Are you ready to use your imagination?

Here’s what we are looking for:

Numbers can be represented in pictures and video. We want to see where your imagination leads you! Cut, draw, take pictures, and create your masterpiece using whatever tools you like onto a poster board (or where ever) equaling the number or numbers that you choose.

FOR EXAMPLE: One of our favorite things to give is presents. Our sample entry uses photos from the internet. When you count the presents, you will get the number 5.

As boring as our sample entry is, you can use it as a guideline to help you along the way.  Keep in mind you can use whatever you’d like: toys, buttons, feathers, finger painting pictures, shoes, anything! GO NUTS, we strongly encourage it! You can illustrate any number or numbers that you’d like, there are no restrictions.

Once your project is finished take a picture of it, upload it to your computer, and email your image to Sica@VAsolutionsNOW.com with your name and email address before midnight on Monday, May 31st Pacific Standard Time. All entries will be posted on Facebook for everyone to see and vote for their favorite projects.

On Thursday, June 3rd all winners will be announced!

..Did you just say ALL WINNERS? YES, we did! We have 5 different categories to aim for, each winner will receive a $10 iTunes or Amazon Gift Card (winners choice)!

Sounds pretty easy right? What are you waiting for? Get creative, get messy, and most importantly HAVE FUN! We look forward to seeing all of your projects!

Influence your friends and family to vote for your project on Facebook at Http://Facebook.com/Arithmaroo!

Remember to email all of your submissions to Sica@VAsolutionsNOW.com by midnight (PST) on Monday May 31st!

Arithmaroo is math for artists, designers, and everyone who loves to see beauty and patterns in things and Traci Lawson at Ten Toed Inc. gets it.  Yay!

“Visual Thinking in Mathematics and a Game Called Arithmaroo” is Traci’s blog post. She’s a children’s game designer and consultant who has worked with the big guys–Sesame Street, Disney, etc.

She writes personally, “If if right-brain thinkers like me are ever going to succeed at performing math at the speed that symbol-oriented rote memorization thinkers do, Arithmaroo is a great exercise. Equally important, Arithmaroo gives visual thinkers an opportunity to play an overtly mathematical game and experience success. Hurrah!”

So I bought her app, Frogs and Fireflies. Mix the colored fireflies to match the colored frogs. 2 yellows + 1 blue = yellow-green.  The sound and graphics are cute. Learning happens.

Great design is not just what’s there. It’s what’s not there. Simplicity is hard. Traci’s a pro. We’re flattered.

For one day you can get Arithmaroo for free!  Why? Because we want to get the word out!  Also, the new upgrade has been submitted to the iTunes Store.  We want to know which one you like better–the old, choose-your-own-level version or the new have-to-earn-your-level version.

It’s featured today in Mom With Apps.  Tell your friends!

Notice how I didn’t say “How to Teach Math”?

Although you may have been taught in a variety of ways, if you are reasonably competent at basic arithmetic, you have figured out your own way to do it.

Think about it.

How do you see the number 9?  How do you see “odd” and “even”? How do you figure out 8 + 9?  How do you remember 7 times 8?

You didn’t learn to think like this from rote memory. I don’t think that anyone learns anything by “rote.” I’m not sure that there is such a thing.

We all learn from making connections and associations.

Learning basic arithmetic is a creative process. It is the result of exploration. It comes out of experiences with numbers. It arises from real engagement.

Numbers are interesting. Like mathematician Steven Strogatz says,”Numbers have lives of their own.” They are so deeply interesting that some people devote their lives to exploring them.

The most engaging way to explore and experience numbers is through games. We just need a few different games. Some very basic ones. Like Arithmaroo.

Maybe in the future, with the right games, we can eliminate worksheets, drills, and testing altogether.

Imagine winning a game instead of passing a test.  Wow.

Featured as a Deal of the Week on MomswithApps.com, starting Tuesday, April 6, Arithmaroo Counting will be marked down to 99¢ for a week.

We’re celebrating being recognized as a finalist by App Star Awards. We’re also fueling the buzz for our upcoming new version of Arithmaroo Counting and our new app, Arithmaroo Adds.

Please tell your friends!!

Round is a Mooncake is free today in the iTunes store. It’s a beautiful book and beautiful app. It’s part of the promotion of great kids’ apps at  Moms with Apps. Check out more recommendations at the bottom of the post.

If you’re reading from the mainland, sorry for the late notice!  It’s 6:30 a.m. here.

Yay!  We’re so proud and happy for getting recognized by AppsFire. Winners will be announced at the 360iDev conference April 11-14.

I’m surfacing from deep app development to tell you about Friday free apps at Moms With Apps.  This week’s free app is iLiveMath Animals of Africa, a fabulous little series of apps for math problems from iHomeEducator.

Check out the bottom of the MomswithApps entry–You’ll find recommendations of apps from other MomswithApps developer members.

Last week my recommendation wasn’t even an app. It was My Busy Kit a travel kit for children that I wish I had had for my son when we had to wait in clinics. Too often the few toys are dirty and broken. I wish that we could give them away at children’s hospital clinics! Lucky moms and kids now have iPhones/iPods but it’s nice to have some “real” stuff to play with too.

This week I’m recommending Mom Maps. Perfect for moms with kids in cities!