Is my child at the right age to start learning abacus?

Research shows that the golden window to take advantage of abacus training is between the ages of 4 to 12 years old, coinciding with your child's most critical years of brain development. From our experience with the thousands of students who have taken our program, we've found that the optimal age to start learning abacus is typically around 6 to 7 years old. At this age, most children are able to easily grasp and fully engage with the curriculum. However, it's important to remember that every child is unique! Some may be ready to begin earlier, while others might need a little more time to prepare.

We've also seen great success with children starting as young as 4 years old. However, please keep in mind that younger children will typically take longer to progress through the curriculum and will require more help and involvement from the parent in order to learn effectively. As a benchmark for readiness, we recommend first making sure your child is able to count to 100 and has a basic understanding of what the concepts of addition and subtraction are. If your child meets these criteria, they're likely ready to begin their abacus journey! And if so, we highly encourage starting as early as possible! The sooner your child is able to start abacus, the more time they will have to master the skills and maximize the benefits of the training during their most crucial developmental years!

Does abacus training work for older children too? / Is abacus training still beneficial for older children?

Absolutely! It is never too late to start abacus mental math training! We have consistently seen that students in our program of older age (12+) are still able to gain the high speed mental math ability and use the training to exercise and empower their brain!

However, from our experience with older students in our program, we do sometimes encounter one particular roadblock with those who have already learned basic math from school using a different method. Because of this, some may feel discouraged when first starting abacus training, since the beginning of the curriculum will require them to have to "relearn" and practice simple addition and subtraction with one digit numbers using the abacus method. Sometimes, older children will feel inclined to solve the problems using the method of math they are already used to and familiar with instead of practicing with the abacus. However, it is important for new students to practice using the abacus method from the start, as it will be crucial for them to be able to progress and move on to bigger and more advanced numbers with the abacus later, otherwise they will not gain the powerful benefits from the program. Therefore, the key to success for older students is to have the willingness and discipline to learn and practice this new way of math using the abacus. We've seen that older students who can commit to this approach are certainly still able to achieve the incredible mental math skills and brain benefits that the training offers!

Can adults learn abacus too?

Yes! Adults can absolutely learn abacus mental math too! We’ve had students over 70 years old take our program and use it as a daily brain exercise!

However, if you are an adult who is interested in learning abacus yourself or alongside your child, here are a few important things to keep in mind:

- Abacus training is primarily emphasized for young children because that is the age when their brains are in a prime developmental state that makes it a lot easier to absorb new information quickly. Similar to how it’s a lot easier for children to learn new languages than adults, abacus training is most beneficial for young kids as it takes advantage of the most crucial periods in their brain’s developmental stages to quickly learn and build the skill for abacus mental math. In truth, the abacus curriculum itself is not very difficult to learn, however, the practice of abacus mental math, which is the act of visualizing and imagining the abacus in your mind to perform quick calculations (what you see our students performing in our videos) can be much more challenging for adults. However, this is not to say that it is impossible! We have had adults train with our program in the past (often times with parents learning alongside their children in our program), though don’t be surprised to find out that our younger students will often greatly outperform the adults in speed!

- In order to learn abacus mental math through our curriculum, you will need to “relearn” basic math using the abacus method. As an adult, you’re likely accustomed to using a different method for adding and subtracting numbers, so starting over with simple single-digit calculations on the abacus may feel slow and discouraging at first. However, in order to truly benefit from our program and get the results you see our students achieve, it is very important for new students to learn and practice from the beginning with the abacus method, even if it seems easy because you already know how to do it using a different method.

In summary, although it may be more challenging, motivated adults can certainly still learn and greatly benefit from abacus training! Even if you find that mental math skills may not be as applicable in your daily life, this training can still provide you with an extremely effective brain exercise to keep your mind active and sharp!

How long does it take to start seeing results?

When it comes to developing the mental math skills, most children can typically begin to perform impressive and fast mental calculations with single-digit numbers within 3 to 6 months of abacus training. Also around this time, parents often begin to report noticeable improvements in their child's ability to focus, learn, and in their confidence in math! As students continue to progress, the results become even more remarkable. Around the 2-year mark in abacus training, most students will have developed the brainpower to be able to mentally calculate up to 3-digit numbers, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

However, it's important to remember that every child progresses at their own pace, and consistent practice is key to achieving these remarkable results. We consistently see that students who are committed to regular practice gain the best results and achieve them at the fastest speeds!

What is the daily time commitment? / How much time per day is recommended for students to spend practicing abacus?

Consistent practice is the key to getting results with abacus mental math! Data from students in our program show that those who practice for at least 20 minutes a day achieve the best results. Any additional time spent practicing proves to be even more beneficial as it is directly correlated with stronger and faster results, therefore it is highly encouraged!

Try to think of abacus training as a mental brain workout. Just as daily running or weight-training will make your body faster and stronger, regular abacus practice will increase your child's mental agility and brainpower!

How long does it take to complete the entire abacus program?

Our program modernizes the traditional Japanese grandmaster abacus curriculum into a structured, 10-grade-level system. At our recommended pace, each grade level takes about 6 months to complete. For context within our curriculum, some key milestones include:

- Mastery of high-speed single-digit mental math - typically achieved within just the first 2 grade levels.

- Mastery of high-speed 2-digit and 3-digit mental math - typically achieved within the first 4 grade levels.

- Mastery of high-speed mental multiplication and division - typically achieved within the first 6 grade levels.
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​With that being said, we encourage parents not to think of abacus as a start-to-finish program, but rather, one that your child can benefit from for their entire life by continuing to use it as a lifelong brain exercise. Even after students have mastered the entire curriculum, continued practice is still highly beneficial as an ongoing brain exercise for further mental stimulation and growth!

What math subjects does abacus cover?

Abacus mental math focuses on the four basic arithmetic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. During the abacus training process, students will first be taught to master the mechanics of these operations on the abacus. Then, they will transition to practicing abacus mental math, by performing calculations in their mind using an imagined mental abacus. Lastly, through advanced computer-aided training, our program then helps train their brain to develop and achieve even faster calculation speeds and with increasingly complex numbers.

While abacus training does not cover advanced topics like algebra, geometry, or calculus, it does provide an extremely strong foundation for learning higher level math subjects. We frequently find that abacus students are able to quickly learn and excel in advanced mathematics due to their exceptional mental math speed, enhanced focus and memory, as well as their increased confidence in their mathematical abilities. 

Will learning abacus conflict with the math my child is learning at school or in their homeschool curriculum?

Abacus math does inherently differ from traditional school methods of teaching math. However, math is a universal language! No matter what method is used, they will all inevitably arrive at the same answer. From the collective experiences of students and parents in our program, all it usually takes to clear up any confusion at school is to simply have a quick chat with their teacher to inform them that your child is using abacus math and to demonstrate their mental math abilities. Once this has been demonstrated and explained, we've only ever heard positive responses from school teachers! Teachers are typically extremely impressed by the speed and accuracy of our abacus students, and many of our students often report that their teachers are not only allowing and encouraging the use of abacus in the classroom, but also doing things like assigning them as classroom helpers and providing them with more challenging, higher-grade level work to fill up all the time they gain from finishing their regular assignments so quickly!
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​Many homeschool parents also find that abacus not only enriches their math curriculum but also instills valuable life skills such as focus, discipline, and problem-solving. It provides a structured, daily mental exercise that aligns perfectly with the holistic approach many homeschooling families value in education. By integrating abacus training with your homeschool curriculum, you're not just enhancing your child's mathematical abilities, you're providing them with a tool for building a strong, agile mind that will benefit them in all areas of learning!

How will abacus benefit my child outside of math?

Abacus mental math training is not just about turning your child into a human calculator, it's about unlocking their full brain potential! ​The benefits go far beyond numbers and calculations. As they learn to tap into the full power of their brain, their creativity blossoms, problem-solving skills sharpen, decision-making abilities expand, confidence soars, and learning and processing skills reach new heights! And it doesn't stop there. Practicing abacus mental math using our multi-sensory software also trains their listening skills, memory retention, and concentration. They become agile thinkers and quick learners, adapting effortlessly to new challenges, and developing invaluable skills that will enable them to excel in their academics, careers, and lives!

Have children with ADHD and other learning disabilities been successful with abacus training?

Yes! We've seen remarkable success stories with students who have ADHD and various learning disabilities. For a lot of these children, abacus training provides a unique visual and kinesthetic approach to working with math and numbers which often resonates extremely well with diverse learning styles. Our multi-sensory abacus training software has also been seen to help children develop better attention skills! Additionally, our program allows students to progress at their own pace in order to accommodate for different learning needs.

While every child is unique, and results can vary, we've consistently seen positive outcomes for students with various learning challenges. Many parents have also reported improvements not just in math skills, but in overall academic performance and behavior!

We invite you to read our inspiring testimonials from parents of children with ADHD who have experienced transformative results with our abacus program here!

My child is already advanced or gifted, will abacus provide a challenge for them?

Absolutely! Our abacus training is designed to challenge and bring out your child's best potential. Here's what makes our abacus program an excellent fit for advanced or gifted children:

- First, our program allows students to progress at their own speed, and the mental math practice we offer has no ceiling, allowing students to continuously challenge themselves by practicing at incrementally faster speeds and with harder questions.

- Second, even if your child already excels with traditional math, the speed of mental math achieved through abacus training is likely beyond what they've experienced. Providing them with this training will enable them to level up their math game even further and achieve incredibly fast mental math skills!

- Third, practicing abacus also trains and exercises a unique set of mental skills that even advanced children typically haven't explored yet. Remember, it's not just about solving math problems, it's about dramatically increasing your child's mental processing speed through consistent brain exercise!

Being advanced or gifted in traditional math doesn't always automatically translate to high-speed mental calculations. Abacus training can offer a new and challenging activity that can push your child to utilize the full potential of their brain. We've seen many advanced students thrive in our program and discover new depths to their abilities they never knew existed!

Will my child be able to get the same results with abacus?

Yes! We've seen our abacus program work for all types of children, regardless of their learning style or math abilities when first starting out!

The key to success isn't innate talent – it's commitment and regular practice! Modern neuroscience research shows that regular practice with abacus mental math literally helps develop more neural connections in the brain and enhances cognitive abilities over time! Becoming proficient with abacus mental math is just like learning a musical instrument or training for a sport. It requires dedicated practice to get results. We have yet to see a single student who committed to regular practice with our program not see any beneficial results!

My child is already in a lot of programs, I'm not sure if they will have the time for abacus / Should I wait until my child is less busy before starting abacus?

If your child is at the right age to start learning abacus, you should prioritize starting them in this program as soon as possible. Waiting would be a disservice to your child. Abacus training isn't just another activity – it's a fundamental tool for enhancing your child's brainpower that will consequently improve their performance in all other areas of activity and learning!

Starting abacus now is a time-saving investment in your child's future. This program develops the brain to think and process information faster, which will end up saving your child an enormous amount of time with other activities, homework, and future learning. Many of the parents in our program report their children earning themselves a lot of free time after being able to complete their assignments and homework extremely quickly. This increased mental agility will not only help with your child's current activities, but it will continue to pay dividends down the road throughout their entire life. The sooner they start, the more time they'll get back and the greater the long-term benefits will be!

By prioritizing this brain training now, you're giving your child the mental resources to handle current and future challenges more efficiently. As another parent aptly put it, "If you're considering the abacus program for your kids and you don't have the time, you'll just have to make the time." (see the full testimonial here)