Library
Find resources explaining the maths activities and financial literacy concepts explored in Town Squared. Gain a better understanding of maths anxiety and how you can support a maths-anxious child at home or in the classroom. All free to use and to share.
Here you will find refreshers on maths topics, clear explanations of concepts, or learn about current teaching strategies and how you can support a child's learning at home. Educators can find in-depth information about the maths concepts explored in Town Squared and ideas on how to use the games and puzzles in class.
Our resources are written by subject-matter experts, researchers and learning designers. We also include carefully curated links to relevant external resources that we believe are of benefit to supporting a maths-anxious child.
Filter by topic
Maths in Town Squared: balance and equivalence on the Building Site
Children move materials onto platforms so both sides balance, and send it to builders on the floors above. An equation under the platform updates as they add or remove materials to work out the answer. Repeated successful balancing wins a quest ticket.
Activity sheet: Make your own playdough
Playdough is a simple, fun way to explore measurement and fractions at home.
Activity sheet: Measurement
A simple, fun activity to build measurement skills.
What’s it for: Measurement
Ever wondered why children are taught some things? Find out how measurement gets used at home and work.
Maths at home: Measurement
One way to help with maths anxiety is to use maths at home. Discover some simple things you can try.
Maths at home: Fractions
One way to help with maths anxiety is to use maths at home. Discover some simple things you can try.
How kids learn this at school: Measurement
Find out what has changed since you did this at school.
How kids learn this at school: Fractions, decimals and percentages
Find out what's changed since you did this in school.
What’s it for: Fractions, decimals and percentages
Ever wondered why children are taught some things? Find out how fractions, decimals and percentages get used at home and work.
About this topic: Measurement
A clear, straight-forward explanation and reminder of key terms for measurement.
About this topic: Fractions, decimals and percentages
A clear, straight-forward explanation and reminder of key terms for this maths topic.
Maths in Town Squared: maths on the Building Site
Children move materials onto platforms so both sides balance, and send it to builders on the floors above. An equation under the platform updates as they add or remove materials to work out the answer. Repeated successful balancing wins a quest ticket.
Maths in Town Squared: maths in the Airport
Children combine numbers on a grid to help power up an airship. Each grid presents different ways to add, subtract or think in multiples. Finding enough combinations sends a surge of power to the waiting airship and eventually earns a quest ticket.
Maths in Town Squared: maths in Sprite flights
Children help the clean sprites go home by plotting out 2D shapes of a specified type, and tracing these in the sky. These puzzles explore shapes and area. Making enough of the right types of shapes earns a quest ticket.
Maths in Town Squared: maths in the Factory
Children measure ingredients to make items in the Factory using fractions, decimals and percentages, and by converting between them. Success means they can keep some of the items they make, to use in quests to help their quest team get a better result.
Getting started for families
A short guide for families to get Town Squared up and running at home.
Town Squared at school: Adding educators and students
A guide for adding educator and student accounts.
Maths in Town Squared: fractions and measurement in the Factory
Children measure ingredients to make items in the Factory using fractions, decimals and percentages, and by converting between them. Success means they can keep some of the items they make, to use in quests to help their quest team get a better result.
Town Squared at school: Editing student and educator accounts
A guide for editing student and educator accounts.
Town Squared at school: IT manager guide
This guide provides background information on the software, how it works and the setup required.
Town Squared at school: How to run a classroom session
A guide for educators on how to run Town Squared in the classroom.
Maths in Town Squared: shapes and area in Sprite flights
Children help the clean sprites go home by plotting out 2D shapes of a specified type, and tracing these in the sky. These puzzles explore shapes and area. Making enough of the right types of shapes earns a quest ticket.
Life Kit podcast: maths anxiety and parenting
Find out how to put maths anxiety strategies to use, and hear how the Sesame Street writers address maths anxiety on their show.
Why do people get so anxious about maths?
Discover the latest research in maths anxiety in this animated video.
Maths in Town Squared: Blocks as in-game currency
Some children struggle to translate their maths skills to real world problems, like managing money. Town Squared uses a virtual currency to explore the ideas of value, earning, saving, spending, investing, sharing and giving.
Maths in Town Squared: combining numbers in the Airport
Children combine numbers on a grid to help power up an airship. Each grid presents different ways to add, subtract or think in multiples. Finding enough combinations sends a surge of power to the waiting airship and eventually earns a quest ticket.
Maths in Town Squared: Maths and gameplay
Town Squared is designed to explore The Big Ideas in Maths, address maths anxiety, and apply mathematical thinking to problem solving. Find out more about our approach.
Maths at home: Shapes and Area
One way to help with maths anxiety is to use maths at home. Discover some simple things you can do and say in daily life.
What's it for: Shapes and Area
Ever wondered why kids are taught some things? Find out the purpose behind this topic, and how this kind of maths gets used for work.
How kids learn this at school: Shapes and Area
Find out what's changed since you did this in school.
About this topic: Shapes and Area
A clear, straight-forward explanation and reminder of key terms for this maths topic.
Maths at home: Addition and Subtraction
One way to help with maths anxiety is to use maths at home. Discover some simple things you can do and say in daily life.
What's it for: Addition and Subtraction
Ever wondered why kids are taught some things? Find out the purpose behind this topic, and how this kind of maths gets used for work.
How kids learn this at school: Addition and Subtraction
Find out what's changed since you did this in school.
About this topic: Addition and Subtraction
A clear, straight-forward explanation and reminder of key terms for this maths topic.
Parenting with a growth mindset approach
Understand what growth mindset is, and how to influence a child's mindset in a positive way.
What are the best strategies for dealing with maths anxiety?
Techniques for dealing with maths anxiety that you can apply straight away.
My child is maths anxious. What can I do?
Simple things to do or say to help a maths-anxious child, or start the conversation with their teacher.
What is maths anxiety, and what are the signs?
Learn how to spot the signs of maths anxiety and understand how it can happen.