Frequently asked questions about DreamBox Learning K-2 Math

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Getting started in DreamBox Learning


General questions


Educational content

Getting started in DreamBox Learning

How do we log in and get started?

The website for DreamBox Learning K-2 Math is http://play.dreambox.com. If you forget this URL, there is also a link to "Sign in" from the main DreamBox Learning website at www.dreambox.com. When you sign in, you can check the option "Keep me logged in", which will allow your child to play without retyping your login information.

How to start playing

Once you’re signed up, here’s how your child can begin playing DreamBox Learning!

  1. Click on the “Play” button when you log your child in
  2. Your child will choose a personal game character
  3. Your child will decide which adventure to play (choosing from Pirates, Pixies, Dinosaurs or Pets)
  4. Then your child can start playing. It’s that simple!

How can I set up someone else to receive email notifications of my child’s progress?

In the Parent Dashboard, go to ‘Account/Settings’ and click on ‘Notification emails’ to add email addresses. You can have up to 5 secondary email addresses which will receive the same notifications as you do on your child’s progress in DreamBox Learning.

How can I modify my preferences for email from DreamBox Learning?

In the Parent Dashboard, go to ‘Account/Settings’ and click on ‘Notification Preferences’ to edit your communication preferences. You can disable email notifications from DreamBox Learning or ask to receive only specific types of notifications, such as emails on your children’s academic and game progress.Please note that these preferences will not apply to billing emails or business communication from DreamBox.

How does my child switch themes within the DreamBox Adventure Park?

We know that students like to switch and experiment with different themes and stories, and that’s great! Whenever students have found 1 of the 6 objects needed to complete a story, they have the option to either find another object in the same story, or click “BACK” to go back to the Adventure Park and choose another theme and story. It typically takes 3 to 6 lessons to find each object, so students can switch stories relatively frequently if they wish. Students can explore one story in each of the 4 themes at the same time.

When is it best NOT to help a child?

Parents naturally want to help a child who is struggling to learn something new, especially as lessons get harder. But because DreamBox is constantly assessing your child’s answers to understand what they’ve mastered and what they have yet to learn, parental help can sometimes actually make the lessons too hard!

Here’s why: our GuideRight™ technology ensures that many aspects of the experience immediately adapt based upon how a student responds to each problem. The questions should be just challenging enough that they occasional get one incorrect as they learn. Part of that process of recalibrating for each student involves occasionally presenting a series of questions that might be a little too difficult. If they do well, we move them on to something that might rely upon the understanding they just demonstrated. If they don’t do so well, we then provide the comprehensive set of lessons they likely need to develop that understanding.

So with DreamBox, if you provide too much overt assistance, answer for your child, or let a sibling or friend play on their account, it is quite possible that the system will temporarily attribute levels of proficiency — or lack thereof — that do not accurately reflect that of your child. If you’d like to learn more about this, and for tips on the kind of help you can give, read the DreamBox blog article: Why a Little Help Can Go a Wrong Way.

General questions

What is DreamBox Learning K-2 Math?

DreamBox Learning K-2 Math, the next generation of web-based learning, provides individualized learning for kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade math in an engaging game-like framework. DreamBox Learning K-2 Math automatically adapts to each student, which optimizes his or her learning experience. We do this by customizing the content, difficulty, hints, pace, and sequence of lessons to match a student’s knowledge and learning style — just as a great tutor would do! There are well over a million different paths a child could take through our curriculum.

DreamBox Learning curriculum is based on the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Curriculum Focal Points and the best state standards. Students personalize their experience by choosing a game character and a theme, such as pirates, dinosaurs, pets or pixies, which will frame their lessons with fun adventures and goals.

Rather than simply providing practice for a concept students already know, DreamBox Learning K-2 Math helps a student learn the K-2 math curriculum step by step, in a uniquely customized and engaging way. DreamBox Learning K-2 Math helps every child reach his or her potential!


Engaging adventures!

Move forward with the
right lessons!

DreamBox tools!

What will my child learn? Which math standards are addressed?

The DreamBox Learning K-2 Math Program has more than 100 lessons each for kindergarten and 1st grade, and 160 lessons for 2nd grade. The product’s underlying curriculum develops computational fluency, conceptual understanding, and problem-solving ability, which allow students to enrich and deepen their mathematical thinking. Content is aligned with the Focal Points — such as Number and Operations Focal Points and Algebra Focal Points — for each grade set by the national math standards-setting body, the National Council ofTeachers of Mathematics (NCTM).

DreamBox Learning develops and enhances your child’s foundational math understanding through a carefully crafted sequence of activities which allow your child both choice and variety in game play. We use our core tools including dot patterns (Numbergrams™), a ten frame, a mathrack (aka rekenrek), number lines, snap blocks, function machine, and our “Human Calculator™”. Lessons and tools build a student’s understanding of 5 and 10, two important numbers in a base-ten system.

One of the first lessons played is a placement lesson, and there are numerous additional placement lessons through the product. Placement lessons assess a student’s existing knowledge and place him/her at an appropriate place in our curriculum.

Throughout the DreamBox Learning adventure, your child is given the flexibility to move between grades as appropriate. We do not show grade labels for the lesson games, and we do not require, for example, that all kindergarten lesson games are completed before first grade lesson games can begin. This allows your child to explore the math that is most interesting and developmentally appropriate for him/her.

Kindergarten:

  • Compare more, less, and equal sets of objects up to 10
  • Count up to 10 in units of 1,2,3,5, and 10
  • Demonstrate ability to recognize sets of up to 10 at a quick glance (“subitizing”)
  • Build number lines and hundreds chart up to 100
  • Early addition and subtraction up to 10
  • Recognize doubles
  • Distance and orientation

1st grade:

  • Build, count, and recognize amounts up to 100
  • Compare and order numbers up to 100 using symbols <,>, and =
  • Count backwards and forwards
  • Addition and subtraction using strategies of “using doubles” (for example, 7+8 = 7+7+1) and “making tens” (for example, 9+7 = 10+6)
  • Develop automatic recall of basic math facts
  • Identify number patterns that make 15,20,50, and 100
  • Understand the open numberline, multiples of 10 (10-100), positive and negative, and distances between numbers
  • Two-dimensional area and three-dimensional volume

2nd grade:

  • Solve problems with equal expressions
  • Addition and subtraction strategies for two- and three-digit numbers
  • Skip counting in jumps of 3-10
  • Compare and order numbers from 100 to 1000
  • Advanced addition and subtraction strategies

How does DreamBox Learning continuous assessment and placement work?

One of the first lesson games played is a placement lesson, and there are numerous additional placement lessons through the product. Students usually won’t notice that a lesson is a placement lesson rather than a standard lesson, though they are marked with a star on the lesson icon.

Placement lessons assess a student’s existing knowledge and place him/her at an appropriate place in our curriculum. Students who already know a particular concept, for example, will pass a placement lesson and then immediately skip over all the lesson games for that concept.

In addition, DreamBox assesses every response, and makes immediate small adjustments in the difficulty or scope of a particular problem, the type of hints given, and the lesson sequence that follows. All of these individual adaptations help ensure effective learning for your child.

What grade levels will DreamBox Learning K-2 Math be appropriate for?

The curriculum covered in DreamBox Learning K-2 Math will be appropriate for most kindergartners through 2nd grade students. It is also appropriate for many pre-K students and many 3rd graders.

Is DreamBox Learning for kids who are struggling, at grade level, or advanced in math?

Because of our unique placement lessons and continual assessments, DreamBox is great for math learners of all abilities! Struggling students will get the basic foundational concepts they need, along with appropriate practice for mastery. Students who love math and need additional challenges can move ahead in DreamBox as fast as they want.

My child is only 4 years old. What can I do to make his DreamBox experience is positive and not overwhelming?

Although our product is written for 5-8 year olds, many 4 year olds have successfully used DreamBox. The following are tips from other parents on how to ensure that your child will enjoy both interacting with the computer and learn to navigate and play DreamBox successfully.

  1. Start with short sessions with an adult present. It’s enough to only play 2-3 games. Having you by his side builds game-play and mouse skills confidence. It lets him know that you value the time spent on the computer and support math learning. One-on-one time is always special and ensures that you’ll intervene before frustration kicks in.
  2. Let your child lead. He may click on areas that don’t do anything and that’s ok. He’s learning how to explore a new environment and needs to experiment in order to learn how to react to highlighting and clickable areas.
  3. Wait for him to ask for help and watch for signs of frustration. Nobody knows your child’s frustration level better than you. When you see that he is done exploring and is ready for some guidance, give it. “Try clicking here.” Or better yet, answer a question with a question. “Do you see anything that is highlighted? Is that a good place to click?”
  4. Let your child make mistakes. This is particularly important when playing the math games. If you intervene and prevent your child from choosing incorrect answers, we won’t place your child in the lessons best suited for his abilities.
  5. Replay the Mouse Tutorials over and over again! These are located in the Arcade in the Carnival, and they are always free. (Unlike other games in the Carnival area, the Mouse Tutorials never require a child to spend a token.) The Mouse Tutorials were specifically written to help our youngest users learn to use a mouse or keypad.
    1. The balloon popping activity focuses on rollover movement.
    2. The bowling pin game allows your child to practice clicking on specific targets.
    3. Finally, the turtle game is all about dragging and dropping objects.
    Some users also prefer a kid’s mouse, which can be bought at many computer accessory stores.
  6. Offer to move the mouse for your child, but only do what your child tells you to do! Some children really want to play the games, even before they have developed the mouse skills to do so. It’s okay to play one or two games this way because your child leaves the game highly satisfied and continues to make progress.
  7. Play the On-the-Go Activities when you’re not on the computer. As your child makes progress in the DreamBox lessons, we’ll send you emails with short, fun games to play while cooking dinner or talking in the car. These games mimic the same skills your child has accomplished in DreamBox. Playing these in a different context reinforces your values that math is important and fun.

What progress reports will parents receive?

Parents can review detailed progress reports any time they want via the Parent Dashboard link when they log in. The progress reports show which math concepts the student has “skipped in placement” (i.e. already knew and therefore successfully passed in our placement lessons), which lessons they have successfully completed, and which lessons they are currently working on.

In addition, parents receive an email whenever their child has successfully completed a group of lessons that demonstrates understanding of a significant concept in mathematics. We will explain what your child has learned, and provide some tips for further honing that knowledge, including quick games that can be played together in the car or while cooking dinner. We will also send an email when your child has completed an adventure story and earned a Certificate to print out.

Why does the graph data show my child working in multiple grades?

Research on how children learn math has shown that it’s not a simple, linear process. Rather, learning grows like a web through a range of experiences. Based on common national standards, most kindergarten curricula cover numbers to ten, and most first grade curricula cover numbers to one hundred. But that doesn’t take into account the fact that, developmentally, a child that can count to ten is often ready for working with larger numbers.

At DreamBox, we have developed an adaptive curriculum that’s based on this advanced learning research. The DreamBox curriculum, and our sophisticated placement system, allow students to work in lessons that build on prior knowledge, and that includes lessons that may be aligned with standards that are one grade level ahead. Our unique lesson sequencing technology, developed together with our academic experts, allows us to maximize your child’s learning potential by providing the most appropriate lesson choices from different areas of the curriculum. Because of this, it isn’t unusual for a child to be working in two grade levels at one time.

Is there a way for a parent to play and understand more about the product?

Many parents want to experience DreamBox Learning K-2 Math themselves so they can better understand what their child is learning. We have created an account for a parent, accessible from the Parent Dashboard, so that parents can play DreamBox without accidently modifying their child’s account (and changing their child’s assessments).

We have also added a number of explanations in the Parent User account to highlight the various features in the product. Below is an example introducing our placement lessons:



What is the expected time commitment?

Students can play DreamBox Learning as often as they like. We have found that most students will play DreamBox two to four times a week, for sessions of 15 to 30 minutes each. As students progress, they will continually be served appropriate new challenges. Some students will want to play more and longer, and others will play less. It is completely up to the student and family’s schedule, though consistent play is best for optimizing how each student will learn and progress.

What is the best way to provide DreamBox Learning with feedback on your program?

We love customer feedback! There is a link for “feedback” at the bottom of every screen in the product. If you would like to comment on something specific on a screen or in a lesson, you can simply provide feedback right then and there by clicking the link, choosing the category of feedback and writing as detailed a message as possible in the feedback form. You can also provide feedback on your child’s overall experience with DreamBox Learning.

What will DreamBox Learning do with my feedback?

We will read each and every feedback form in detail, and to the best of our ability make the appropriate improvements to our product. If we have further questions about your comments, we will contact you to discuss them.

Educational content

Does my child have to know how to use a computer mouse? A keyboard?

Students must use a mouse in our program, and the ability to enter numbers via the keyboard is required for the 2nd grade content. Students do not need to know how to use the keyboard for the K or 1st grade curriculum.

We have created three fun Mouse Tutorials that will help all users learn and/or improve their mouse skills. The first time a student plays, we introduce them to the Mouse Tutorials right away as a “warm up”. If your child needs extra practice, please encourage your child to play them again as often as needed. You can find the Mouse Tutorials in the “Arcade” in the Carnival.

Does my child have to know how to read?

No, children do not need to be readers to play DreamBox Learning. In nearly every case, labels in the game are repeated in the audio, and often when your child rolls the mouse over objects.

Can my pre-K child experience the kindergarten content?

There are certainly a number of 4 year olds who are ready to learn the kindergarten content, have the dexterity and knowledge to use a computer mouse, and the attention span to use our program. Most 4 year olds enjoy playing DreamBox Learning but may need a parent to help guide them through the lessons.

Why are some lessons so similar to others?

The lessons have been thoughtfully designed to help students learn new concepts and develop strong knowledge of math fundamentals. To achieve this, professional educators have found that students must address concepts from several different perspectives. Therefore, for example, there might be a lesson teaching a concept first with numbers 1 to 10 and no symbols, and then later the same concept with numbers and symbols. Or there might be one lesson focusing on the “landmark” numbers 5, 10, and 20 with our mathrack tool, and then another lesson focusing on the same thing with our Numbergram™ tool. These lessons may appear similar, but are different in important ways that help students successfully progress.

What’s the difference between the academic activities in the Adventure Park and the Carnival?

Children spend most of their time on DreamBox playing lessons in the Adventure Park. These lessons cover the DreamBox math curriculum for each grade level. When students begin playing DreamBox and as they progress, some Adventure Park lessons assess a child’s existing knowledge and place him/her at the appropriate place in our curriculum. So on the Parent Dashboard, the progress report will show which math topics the student has “skipped in placement” (i.e. already knew and therefore successfully passed in our placement lessons).

Students can also play in the Carnival, where there are 2 types of activities — carnival games and arcade games. In the Carnival, the Castle Maze, Petting Zoo, Frog Race, and Dunk Tank games have an academic focus, but they’re a little different from the Adventure Park lessons in that they don’t focus on a specific mathematical concept. Instead they help students develop problem-solving skills in a mathematical environment. Each game has several levels that build on one another, pushing students to adapt and modify their strategy as elements of the game change. (For example, in early levels of the Maze, students just focus on moving the character to the door. In later levels, students also have to collect all the mushrooms and avoid the troll. The levels also vary in how many “turns” the student can take and the number of moves the student can link together.) Since these games focus on developing problem-solving skills and strategies instead of specific math concepts, students don’t skip any of the levels. And, these games are not required to make progress in the Adventure Park games, so students playing 1st or 2nd grade content may still be working on Kindergarten or 1st grade problem-solving games.

Inside the Carnival there is also an Arcade where kids can play games that are really just for fun! Some of the Carnival activities require a token earned by playing lessons in the Adventure Park. Tokens are awarded for a combination of academic progress, time spent, and overall effort.

Who designed the lessons?

Lessons are first designed for their educational content by our experienced, Nationally Board Certified elementary school teachers. They carefully create the detailed framework of adaptations — in hints, difficulty, pace, etc. — that will help each student individually learn the material. Then the teachers, our creative team, and our software developers work closely together to add a motivational framework to fully engage and encourage the students to progress through the lessons and have fun while learning.

Should I help my child with a problem?

No. Parents often work with their children to help them with a few questions and answers on new problem sets before they try to solve problems on their own. With DreamBox things are a little different. DreamBox Learning’s GuideRight™ technology continuously assesses and adapts the curriculum to your child not only within a problem, but between problems, between lessons and between groups of lessons. In order to make certain we assess and adapt to each child as accurately as possible we request that parents not help children with problems presented in DreamBox Learning K-2 Math.

Part of that process of recalibrating for each student between groups of lessons involves occasionally giving them a series of questions that might be a little too difficult for them. If they do well, we move them on to something that might rely upon the understanding they just demonstrated. If they don’t do so well, we then provide the comprehensive set of lessons they likely need to develop that understanding.

So with DreamBox, if you provide too much overt assistance, answer for your child, or let a sibling or friend play on their account, it is quite possible that the system will temporarily attribute levels of understanding — or misunderstanding — that do not accurately reflect that of your child.

What should I do if the math game gets hard for my child?

If you children turn to you for assistance with a DreamBox Learning problem, try some of these approaches:

  • Encourage your child to make his or her best guess. Remind them it’s OK to make some mistakes. We learn a lot from the types of mistakes they make and will respond accordingly. (Really!)
  • Answer a question with a question. “What do you think?”
  • Click help.
  • Click help again. The second help is more explicit than the first help.
  • Ask your child to explain the game to you. Sometimes talking it through like this will give them the answer.
  • If all that doesn’t work, perhaps it’s time for a snack or a break.
  • Finally, remember that playing DreamBox is meant to be fun. If they are still having trouble with one or more lessons, don’t hesitate to click the feedback button and let us know.

What happens if my child finishes the K-2 curriculum in DreamBox?

The DreamBox Learning K-2 Math Program has more than 100 lessons each for kindergarten and 1st grade, and 160 lessons for 2nd grade. However, if your child completes all of the academic goals in our DreamBox Learning K-2 Math program and would like to continue playing math games we will reset your child’s progress to the equivalent of the beginning of the first grade. This will allow your child to continue playing DreamBox and learning and practicing math while having fun.

How effective is DreamBox Learning at teaching math to students?

Research shows that DreamBox is effectively teaching math. Recent studies on DreamBox Learning have demonstrated student scores increased by 19% after just two weeks of using DreamBox Learning K-2 Math! To learn more about effectiveness studies of DreamBox Learning click here.

What are the motivational / game aspects of DreamBox Learning?

  • Game Characters: Each student gets to select a game character from among more than two dozen different characters. This game character will represent the student on screen as he/she goes through the adventures.
  • Themes: We are offering a choice of four themes, Pirates, Pixies, Dinosaurs, and Pets. The student is introduced via colorful animations to a collection of fun and silly characters, and invited to come along on their adventures. There are more fun animations to reward completing the adventure as well as steps along the way. Each theme has 8 adventure stories; a student can switch themes (at interim milestones such as finding an item or finishing a story) to experience all of the themes.
  • Lesson Motivators: As a good teacher or tutor would do, we encourage and cheer on the student with audio prompts. In addition, lessons have fun animated progress bars to help the student reach for the goal.
  • Rewards: As students progress, they periodically find a “reward” on their lesson map. Sometimes it’s a goal for the adventure story, other times it’s an Adventure Friend card to collect in their house, and still other times it’s a token they can save and use when they want to play games in the Carnival. Rewards are awarded for a combination of academic progress and overall effort / time spent.
  • Certificate of Achievement: After the student successfully completes an adventure story (e.g., helped fix the pirate ship), we will send the parent a confirmation email with a link to a fun personalized Certificate of Achievement for the student. Please print out the Certificate and give it to the student to proudly hang on the wall!

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