IXL vs. Education.com vs. Kumon for third-grade multiplication
A child who knows that four times six is 24 may still struggle to draw four equal groups. The right practice tool depends on which part is difficult.
Quick verdict
Choose IXL for short online practice on one named skill with progress feedback. Choose Education.com when a child needs to draw and explain equal groups on paper. Kumon’s Grade 3 Multiplication workbook suits families who want a ready-made, screen-free sequence through 10 × 10.
At a glance
| What matters to you |  IXL |  Education.com |  Kumon Grade 3 Multiplication |
|---|---|---|---|
| What will my child actually do?ixl.com · education.com · kumonbooks.com | Answer interactive questions translating equal groups into multiplication sentences. | Use the Equal Groups Practice sheet to divide arrays into groups and connect the picture to a fact. | Write answers in a workbook that uses sequencing exercises and times tables to reinforce computation through 10 × 10. |
| How can I tell where my child got stuck?ixl.com · education.com · kumonbooks.com | The skill has a SmartScore that changes with performance. It lets you revisit the same skill and see progress toward mastery. | The worksheet has an answer key. On paper you can see whether the child made unequal groups or counted a group twice. | The written sequence preserves the child’s work. Look for repeated errors in the same facts across neighboring exercises. |
| Who chooses the next activity?ixl.com · education.com · kumonbooks.com | Select another online skill or repeat the current one. This suits a targeted gap. | Pick another worksheet or revisit the same array with counters. An adult can adapt the discussion to the child’s drawing. | Follow the book’s existing progression. It suits a family that would rather open the next page than search for a new activity. |
Which option fits you?
IXL
IXL lets you send a child straight to its equal-groups skill and track progress with SmartScore. Choose it for a specific sticking point you want to revisit over several short screen sessions.
Education.com
Education.com’s Equal Groups Practice worksheet makes the child’s arrangement visible. Use the answer key and ask the child to explain which marks form each group before checking the total.
Kumon Grade 3 Multiplication
Kumon’s Grade 3 Multiplication workbook provides a sequenced paper routine through 10 × 10. It fits a child who understands the groups already and needs repeated practice recalling facts and writing answers.
What can a child do after memorizing the times tables?
Ask for three rows of four on paper. Then ask for four rows of three. Both drawings contain 12 marks. A child who can explain why is ready to connect a multiplication fact to a model. A child who only guesses the total can spend the next session practicing arrays.
A two-minute check before choosing
Ask your child to draw three rows of four dots, then turn the paper sideways. If they can explain why four rows of three gives the same total but hesitate on the arithmetic, repeated written facts in Kumon may help. If the array itself is confusing, start with the Education.com drawing. If the gap is translating the picture into a number sentence, IXL offers precisely that skill.
ixl.com · education.com · kumonbooks.comProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Frequently asked questions
- What should I use for a third grader who needs multiplication practice?
- We Tried It All recommends IXL for targeted practice translating groups into a multiplication sentence, Education.com for paper-based array work with an answer key, and Kumon Grade 3 Multiplication for a ready-made sequence of written practice through 10 × 10.
- Do I need a subscription for paper practice?
- Education.com lists a free Basic download allowance. Kumon is a one-time workbook purchase. Count how many different sheets you actually use in a week before paying for unlimited downloads.
- My child knows 4 × 6 but cannot solve a word problem. What should we practice?
- Start with four bags containing six objects each. Ask the child to draw and label the groups before writing the equation. If the drawing is wrong, practice equal groups or arrays before emphasizing speed.
- When would Education.com be preferable to an adaptive online exercise?
- Choose a printable when a parent or teacher wants to see drawings, crossed-out attempts and written explanations. That paper trail helps reveal whether the error was counting, grouping or notation.
- When does a Kumon workbook make sense alongside IXL?
- Choose the workbook for screen-free repetition after the concept is understood. Use IXL when selecting a particular weak skill matters more. Buying both is unnecessary if the same practice need is already covered.
- How do I check understanding without timing a worksheet?
- Change the representation while keeping the numbers familiar. Ask the child to turn a 4-by-6 array into a 6-by-4 array, explain why the total stays 24, and then draw a different example.
- What should a parent look for after a week of practice?
- Compare an unfamiliar word problem, an array and a simple fact. Record whether the child chose multiplication independently and could explain the groups, not just how many items were completed.