Feed the Hungry Monkey 🐒

How to play

Two monkeys have different numbers of bananas. Your child finds the monkey with fewer bananas and taps it (or presses the left or right arrow) to give it one more. The sign at the top changes after every banana: 3 < 5, then 4 < 5, then 5 = 5. When both monkeys have the same, they both cheer.

If your child taps the monkey that already has more, it shakes its head and says "I have more, give one to my friend". The other monkey glows. No points lost, no buzzer.

What it teaches

• Less than and fewer: spotting the smaller group or number.
• Equal: the moment two amounts become the same, and the = sign that goes with it.
• The < sign, updating live as the numbers change.
• Counting on and difference: 3 needs 2 more to make 5. Children feel the gap closing one banana at a time, which is the root of subtraction.

Curriculum links

For teachers and home educators, Feed the Hungry Monkey practices these Common Core math standards:

• K.CC.C.6: Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group.
• 1.OA.D.7: Understand the meaning of the equal sign.

In the UK this is Reception and Year 1 math. In India it matches the "more and less" and number comparison chapters of Class 1 and Class 2.

The three levels

1. Up to 5 bananas, small gaps. Easy to see at a glance.
2. Up to 10 bananas, laid out in rows of five so counting is easier.
3. Numbers to 20, with the bananas hidden. Now your child compares the numbers, not the piles.

Why it works for kids with ADHD and autism

This game follows the same research as the TimeNinja app, which is built for ADHD brains:

• No timer, no lives, no score. Nothing to lose, so nothing to fear.
• Instant feedback on every tap. A banana drops, the number grows, the sign updates.
• A goal you can see. "Make them the same" is concrete. The gap shrinks with every tap until it is gone.
• Short rounds. Five pairs of monkeys, shown as bananas at the top, then a happy ending and a natural place to stop.
• Mistakes are hints, not failures. A head shake and a glow point the way.
• Objects first, numbers later. Bananas in rows of five, then numbers only.

More on this in our guide: learning games for kids with ADHD and autism.

Tips for parents and teachers

Common questions

What does equal to mean for kids?

Equal means the same amount. Two groups are equal when neither has more. The = sign says the amount on the left is the same as the amount on the right. Children understand it best by making two groups equal themselves, which is exactly what they do when they feed the monkeys.

What age is it for?

Ages 4 to 8. Level 1 suits preschoolers, level 3 suits children who can read numbers to 20.

Is Feed the Hungry Monkey suitable for autistic children?

Yes, it was designed with autistic children in mind as well as children with ADHD. Every round follows the same predictable pattern, there is one clear instruction at a time, nothing flashes, there are no pop-ups or ads, sound and voice turn off with one tap, and it ends at a clear, visible point, which makes moving on easier. As with any activity, follow your child's lead.

Is it really free?

Yes. No ads, no account, no email. Nothing your child does leaves the device.

Does it work without sound?

Yes. Every sentence is also shown on screen. Tap the speaker button to turn sound and voice off.

See all ADHD and autism games →