Parents' Column | Soroban
Soroban Practice at Home:
How to Use Videos, Apps and Worksheets
“I’d like my child to practice at home too, but what should we do?” “Is it OK to use soroban videos and apps?” Home practice needs only 5–10 minutes a day. From our experience in the classroom, here is how to use videos, apps and worksheets well, and what to say to keep your child going.
Once a child starts soroban, many parents wonder, “Should we be doing something at home too?” These days there are lots of soroban videos and apps. Used well, they make home practice a lot of fun. Used the wrong way, though, they can undo the finger technique your child learned in class. Here we look at how much home practice is enough, and when to use videos, apps and worksheets.
How much practice at home?
You don’t need long sessions. What matters is repeating, even for a short time. Five minutes every day keeps the bead movements in your child’s hands far better than one hour on the weekend.
| Age | Per day | What to practice |
|---|---|---|
| Final year of kindergarten – Grade 1 | About 5 minutes | Setting and reading numbers; the “friends of 5 and 10” (how many more make 5 or 10?) |
| Grades 2–3 | 5–10 minutes | A few problems from what was learned in class; carrying and borrowing in addition and subtraction |
| Grade 4 and up | 10–15 minutes | Problems for their kyu level, timed; a little more before a grade exam |
So that your child can start without being told “Go practice,” it helps to fix a time (before dinner, after the bath, and so on). On tired days, or days when they aren’t in the mood, one problem is fine.
Choosing and watching soroban videos
The great thing about videos is that you can pause and watch the teacher’s fingers as many times as you like. Something your child “sort of understood” in class often becomes clear after watching it again. When choosing a video, look for these three things.
- The fingers are easy to see
Choose videos where the hands are shown large, so you can see when the thumb is used and when the index finger is used.
- The same method as the class
The way soroban is taught — the finger movements, the steps for addition and subtraction, the words said while calculating — varies a little from school to school. A video with a different method can confuse a child, so if possible choose videos from your child’s own school, or ones that match the method used in class.
- It starts slowly
If your child copies a fast video, the fingers can’t keep up and the correct movements fall apart. Start with slow, step-by-step explanations.
The way to watch is “watch → pause → do the same on your own soroban,” over and over. Copying one calculation many times teaches far more than letting videos play in the background. Video sites also tend to play other videos one after another, so for younger children it is best for an adult to watch together.
Practicing with apps and websites
There are soroban apps, and websites where children can play with a soroban on the screen. The big plus is that children enjoy them. But a soroban on a screen cannot teach the finger technique of a real soroban (thumb pushes up, index finger pushes down). Here is a guide to what each is good for.
| Good for apps and websites | Better on a real soroban |
|---|---|
| Reading and writing numbers (look at the beads and say the number) Mental math such as flash anzan and dictated calculation Drills such as multiplication tables and 100-square calculation | Moving the beads (finger technique) Carrying and borrowing in addition and subtraction Multiplication and division |
Even on app days, finishing with a few problems on a real soroban connects the hand movements with the soroban in your child’s head. Set a time limit so screen time doesn’t get too long.
Practicing with worksheets
Worksheets are best for practice before a grade exam and for checking “where is my child getting stuck?”
- Choose problems for their level: problems that are too hard kill motivation. Getting 80–90% right is just the right level of difficulty.
- Time them now and then: exams are a race against the clock. Not every time, but once your child is used to the problems, try timing them.
- Check the answers together: redoing a wrong problem on the soroban lets your child find the mistake for themselves.
Kodomo School offers free soroban practice worksheets in the same format as the grade exams (10th to 4th kyu, three sets per kyu, with answers). Print them on A4 and use them as they are.
Words that keep children going
Whether home practice continues depends a lot on what the adults around the child say.
- Find what went well and say it out loud: “You did that one faster than before.” “Your fingers move so neatly.” Praise the effort, not just the result.
- Don’t scold mistakes: a mistake is a valuable clue to what needs practice.
- Correct fingers before speed: speed comes naturally as the correct movements are repeated.
- Leave the teaching to the classroom: it is perfectly fine if you can’t use a soroban yourself. Encourage your child to ask the teacher: “Let’s ask at class.”
Soroban tutorial videos15 videos: carrying, borrowing, multiplication and more
Play with a SorobanPractice setting numbers on an on-screen soroban (free for everyone)
Students who attend our classes also have a members-only Soroban Training Room with flash anzan, dictated calculation, grade-exam practice and more (ask your classroom teacher or the head office for details).
Frequently asked questions
Does my child need to practice every day to improve?
No, not at all. Kodomo School has one 60-minute lesson a week, and the teacher gives each child tasks suited to them, so children progress steadily with lessons alone. A little practice at home simply means faster progress. Think of it as “about 5 minutes a day” — that is plenty.
We don’t have a soroban at home. Should we buy one first?
You can wait until your child has enrolled. For the free trial lesson, writing supplies are all you need — we provide the soroban in the classroom. When you enroll, you can also buy one at the classroom (we recommend 23 rods).
I can’t use a soroban myself. Can I still help at home?
You don’t need to teach. At home, “watching the videos together” and “praising what went well” are enough. When something is unclear, encourage your child to ask the teacher at class.
The method in a video was different from the one at class.
Finger movements and steps can differ a little from school to school. When in doubt, follow the method taught in class. Kodomo School’s tutorial videos use the same method as our classes.
Can my child learn soroban with apps alone?
Apps are good practice for mental math and reading numbers, but the finger technique for moving the beads can only be learned on a real soroban. We recommend using them for different things: apps for “fun and mental math,” a real soroban for “finger technique and calculation.”
A little every day — let’s make those beads go click-clack!
About the author
Taito MoritaFounder & principal of Kodomo School (Morita Group Co., Ltd.)
He carries on the Morita Juku founded in Toyohashi in 1972. Through soroban, calligraphy and art at about 90 classrooms in Aichi and Shizuoka and at our Hanoi school in Vietnam, he helps children build the strength to believe in themselves. He also gives talks and seminars on education.
Message from our founderTalks & seminarsUpdated: October 12, 2026
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