The Kumon Method: Should My Child Go Too?
Why this topic is on parents’ minds
When you hear a mom friend say, “We send our child to Kumon,” many of you probably feel a bit unsettled.
- Some children start at 4, and some start before 3
- You hear that “they get faster at calculation” and “they won’t struggle at school”
- But on the other hand, you also see voices online saying “children who did Kumon are bad at applied problems”
- Monthly fees are charged per subject, so taking math, Japanese, and English is not light on the household budget either
“Should my child do it too, or will a different path be fine?”—around age 4 is just the time when you are pressed to make this decision. In this article, after laying out what the Kumon Method involves and where research currently stands, we share the viewpoint that there are reasonable choices both for families who send their children and for families who don’t.
Where did the Kumon Method come from?
The Kumon Method was born in postwar Japan and is probably the most widespread educational method of Japanese origin in the world. Its starting point was arithmetic worksheets a father made for his son.
- 1914
Toru Kumon is born in Kochi Prefecture
He studied mathematics at Osaka Imperial University (now Osaka University), and after graduating became a high school mathematics teacher.
- 1954
He makes his own arithmetic materials for his eldest son, Takeshi
It was prompted by his wife, who was worried about the arithmetic grades of their eldest son, then in 2nd grade. It began with handwritten worksheets that emphasized 'being able to progress on one's own' and 'being able to continue a little at a time every day.'
- 1958
He establishes the Osaka Mathematics Research Society in Moriguchi City, Osaka
This year is the official founding year of the Kumon Method. The first class opened in Moriguchi City. It led to what later became Kumon Institute of Education (now Kumon Institute of Education Co., Ltd.).
- 1974
Expansion overseas begins
The first overseas class opened in New York in the United States. It then expanded to Asia, North America, Europe, and South America.
- Today
Operating in more than 60 countries and regions around the world
Several million learners are enrolled worldwide. It is the largest-scale educational method of Japanese origin.
What matters here is the fact that the Kumon Method began not as a “curriculum reform” by a school teacher, but as “an idea for home study” by one father. Its design philosophy—“supplementing school lessons” and “steady work every day at home too”—is deeply rooted in this starting point.
The ideas the Kumon Method values
Through Toru Kumon’s trial and error with handwritten worksheets, the following four pillars took shape.
- Small steps — materials built as fine steps in which each problem is only a little harder than the one before
- Daily repetition — continuing about 5 to 10 worksheets a day, in principle every day
- Self-learning — at the class or at home, the child reads the materials and solves them themselves. Scenes where the teacher “teaches” are kept to a minimum
- Individual progress beyond school grade — not bound by the school grade, children progress according to their own level of mastery (some children reach elementary school math in the last year of kindergarten, while others progress slowly over 3 years)
What goes on at Kumon classes and at home
How the Kumon Method actually runs is simpler than you might imagine.
1. Attending class twice a week + worksheets every day
Children attend class twice a week (for each of the subjects they take among math, Japanese, and English). At class, they solve that day’s worksheets, the teacher checks them, and hands out homework until the next time. On other days, they work on about 10 to 20 minutes of worksheets at home every day.
2. Minimal hints, and the answers are shown
The teacher does not “teach” how to solve problems, but gives a child who is stuck a small hint and guides them to reach the answer themselves. On the other hand, marking and “corrections” are thorough, and as a rule a problem answered wrongly is redone on the spot until it is answered correctly.
3. No moving on until reaching 100 points
There is a test at the end of each unit, and children cannot move on to the next unit without scoring nearly 100 points. Progress managed on a so-called “mastery basis” is a feature of the Kumon Method.
4. Emphasis on the amount and speed of worksheets
The aim is that with materials at the same level, even if it takes time at first, children become able to do them “quickly and accurately” through repetition. “Measuring calculation speed with a stopwatch” is an iconic scene of the Kumon Method.
What does the research say? Three findings
When looking at research on the Kumon Method, there is one important premise we want to share first.
Finding 1: Calculation speed and accuracy tend to improve
What the Kumon Method is best at is so-called procedural ability (procedural fluency: the ability to carry out a given procedure quickly and accurately). This is an area that fits well with a design of solving problems of the same form repeatedly every day.
An independent investigation that matched results on Key Stage 2 math, the U.K.’s national achievement test, with data on Kumon enrollment
showed a difference: children who took Kumon for 3 months or more scored an average of 1.8 points higher in math (roughly equivalent to “6.8 months of learning progress”) than a non-enrolled group with similar characteristics.
However, the investigation itself concludes in a cautious tone, as follows.
- Families who send children to Kumon are, to begin with, keen on education and concentrated in areas where school quality is also high
- Although matching (comparing by aligning similar characteristics) adjusted for this to some extent, invisible factors such as “the strength of parents’ interest” cannot be completely removed
- The size of the effect is modest to moderate, not enough to say that “going to Kumon makes children dramatically better at math”
Finding 2: Effects on conceptual understanding and the ability to apply knowledge have not been confirmed
On the other hand, for areas other than calculation—the ability to understand meaning, the ability to read and work through word problems, the ability to move shapes in one’s head—good-quality evidence that the Kumon Method is effective is currently scarce.
What researchers have pointed out from early on is that being able to calculate quickly and “understanding what numbers mean,” “being able to set up an equation for a word problem,” and “being able to manipulate shapes and graphs” are separate abilities.
An intervention study that built geometry activities centered on spatial awareness into lessons for children from kindergarten to 2nd grade over 32 weeks, and examined the connection with math ability
showed that activities that improve spatial awareness improve number sense in math by a different route from calculation drills. In other words, practice to raise calculation speed and practice to develop the ability to think with shapes and space are needed as separate training.
The Kumon Method’s math materials are, by design, optimized for calculation speed and accuracy. Problems with shapes and space, reading graphs, and practice setting up equations for word problems are relatively thin. It is more accurate to understand this not as a “weakness” of the Kumon Method, but as a method that does not aim at those things in the first place.
Finding 3: The foundation of math in early childhood has long-term meaning
“Then how much meaning is there in working hard at math in early childhood?”—this is something many parents care about, not only regarding Kumon.
A longitudinal study that analyzed, with long-term data from several regions, the relationship between math ability at 54 months (about age 4 and a half) and math achievement up to age 15
showed that math ability in the preschool years predicts math achievement at age 15, and further that growth in math from age 4 and a half to 1st grade predicts later achievement even more strongly than the absolute level in the preschool years.
What matters here is interpretation. This study did not prove a causal relationship that “improving math in the preschool years raises grades later” (it is a longitudinal correlational study). Even so, one can read from it:
- That math experience in early childhood is “not unrelated” to later mathematics
- That “the experience of being able to keep improving at math” seems to matter more than a one-time amount of knowledge
The Kumon Method’s design of “continuing a little every day” is a system that makes it easy to create this “experience of continuing to improve,” and this may be one of the Kumon Method’s strengths (with the reservation from Finding 1 that this growth has not been confirmed with the Kumon Method itself).
What the Kumon Method tends to develop
Likely strengths
Calculation speed and accuracy, the habit of sitting down to study every day, and the independence of working on worksheets on one's own. Because it builds up 'I can do it' in small steps, many children find it easy to gain a sense of achievement.
What lies outside the Kumon Method's design
Out of scope
A sense of shapes and space, reading graphs, understanding the meaning of word problems, and the experience of thinking with free ideas. It is realistic to assume these will be supplemented by other play, materials, and school lessons.
The part decided by parents' involvement
Depends on family
Whether it becomes 'fun time' or 'a painful obligation.' Whether you can flexibly decide to continue, pause, or withdraw while watching how your child is doing greatly affects the long-term result.
More than half of the moms I know send their children to Kumon, and I get anxious that “we’re not doing anything yet.” Should we start after all?
I understand how you feel. But there’s no need to decide only “because others are doing it.” What research shows is that it tends to work for calculation and study habits, and that the Kumon Method doesn’t aim at other areas to begin with. Whether the “continuing worksheets every day” style seems to suit your child is the main axis for deciding.
I also feel I won’t know whether it suits her until we try…
That’s exactly right. Many classes offer trial sessions, so first seeing how it goes in a trial is a good move. What matters is deciding in your own mind from the start that “if it doesn’t suit her, she can quit at any time.” If you corner yourself with “once we start, we have to continue,” you may keep going even though your child dislikes it, and she may come to dislike math itself.
There’s also an atmosphere where it’s hard to tell people around us “we quit Kumon”…
That’s true. But think about it. Whether you can protect your child’s love of math matters more than being considerate toward mom friends. Continuing, quitting, and never starting in the first place are all choices that can be “the right answer for your child.”
Children the Kumon Method tends to suit, and children who may need some consideration
To repeat, what we write here is not “absolute,” but a matter of tendencies. In reality, how well it applies changes with your child’s personality.
Children it often suits
- Children who don’t mind steadily continuing the same thing — children for whom daily worksheets are not a burden
- Children who are happy about “I did it” and “I moved ahead” — children who easily gain a sense of achievement from small steps
- Children who like to concentrate at their own pace — children suited to working quietly on their own
- Children who enjoy “getting faster” at calculation — children motivated by the sense of achievement of cutting their time
Children who may need some consideration
- Children who get bored when problems of the same form continue — children who quickly say “I’m bored”
- Children who lose motivation when they don’t understand the meaning — children who can’t move on without resolving “Why is it like this?” (the Kumon Method is designed to prioritize the amount of practice over explaining meaning)
- Periods when children need a lot of time for play that moves the body — periods when they can’t spend long sitting quietly at a desk
- Strong signs of dislike — when signs continue such as disliking the class, tearing up worksheets, or crying
The last point in particular is important. If a child continues while disliking it, there is a risk that negative feelings toward math itself will take hold. This is not only about the Kumon Method, but because it is designed to be continued every day, note that the buildup when it doesn’t suit the child tends to become large.
What we want to tell both families who send their children and families who don’t
Having read this far, there are probably readers on both sides. To each, there is something we want to say frankly.
To families already sending their children
The Kumon Method is a well-designed method as a system for building up, steadily every day at home, the areas of calculation and study habits, where effects are relatively easy to see according to research too. If your child enjoys it and keeps going, it is becoming a great asset. There is absolutely no need to feel guilty.
However, for the areas the Kumon Method covers thinly (shapes and space, the meaning of word problems, free ideas), covering them separately with play and picture books at home makes for a richer foundation in math. For example, blocks and spatial puzzles introduced in the article on educational toys, blocks, and puzzles (Japanese), and experiences like “cutting in half” or “dividing into 3” while cooking, develop number sense from a different angle from the Kumon Method.
To families not sending their children
There is no need to feel inferior for not sending your child to Kumon. As far as research shows, the Kumon Method is not the only way to build the foundation of math in early childhood.
- As we wrote in the article on reading aloud (Japanese), the time spent reading picture books every day is itself a foundation of language that supports later learning
- Counting games, working out the change together when shopping, “How many more counts until we get out?” in the bath—everyday life is full of the foundations of math
- The habit of “sitting at a desk every day” can also be built starting from things your child likes, such as store-bought drills other than Kumon, sticker activities, drawing, and puzzles
What matters in early childhood is not breaking the feeling that “learning is fun.” As long as this is protected, your child will grow at their own pace even after starting elementary school.
Tips for deciding when to start and when to quit
Finally, here are points that may help both those considering it and those continuing it.
When deciding whether to start
- Use trial sessions — many classes offer trials. First look at the atmosphere of the class, fit with the teacher, and your child’s reaction
- Decide from the start that “it’s OK to quit at any time” — sharing within the family before starting that “if it doesn’t suit, we’ll quit” makes your judgment calmer
- Realistically estimate the burden of cost and time — check whether it is manageable, including monthly fees, drop-off and pickup, and supervision at home (especially in the preschool years, parental involvement is needed)
When deciding whether to continue
- Make your child’s state the main signal — whether your child is enjoying the worksheets or disliking them is best understood by the parent who sees them every day
- Put “feelings” ahead of “progress” — fast progress is not the goal. What matters is whether the feeling of wanting to continue remains
- Have the option of pausing — before quitting completely, there are in-between options such as taking a break for a while, reducing subjects, or slowing the pace
Closing dialogue
In the end, what we’ll do… I’m still unsure, but I feel the pressure lifting a little.
I think that’s enough. It isn’t something where “not doing it is irreversible,” nor is it guaranteed that “doing it means you’ll be fine.” Please make a choice that’s manageable for your family while watching how your child is doing.
Even if mom friends ask, “Are you doing it?”, it seems I don’t have to get anxious anymore.
That’s right, that’s fine. Children who do it and children who don’t are each on a path their families thought about and chose. Both are choices that come from caring about their children, so neither is better than the other.
After sharing today’s talk with my husband, I think we’ll try just a trial once.
I think that’s a good step. Please go and enjoy watching how your child reacts.
Research details
Primary sourcesStudy design: Matched analysis of administrative data (the Key Stage 2 math national achievement test) and Kumon enrollment records. A quasi-experimental comparison using characteristic matching.
Participants: About 5,500 children in England with Kumon experience, and a comparison group of non-enrolled children with similar characteristics (school quality, region, family background, etc.).
Main results: In a comparison without matching characteristics, the group with Kumon experience was 5.27 points higher than the national average. The difference from the matched comparison group was 1.8 points (roughly 6.8 months of learning progress).
Limitations: It is a quasi-experimental study based on observational data, not a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Matching aligned observable characteristics, but the influence of unobservable factors such as the strength of parents’ interest in education remains. It was conducted in the context specific to the U.K. (KS2), so caution is needed in generalizing to Japanese families.
Study design: A systematic review of existing studies on the Kumon Method (evaluation by WWC standards).
Scope: Studies related to the Kumon Method in U.S. elementary school math, from which those meeting the evaluation standards were extracted.
Main results: Not a single study meeting the WWC’s rigorous evaluation standards was found. Therefore, it was stated that no official conclusion could be drawn on the effects of the Kumon Method, either “effective” or “not effective.”
Limitations: “No studies were found” does not mean “no effect.” It needs to be understood as showing the current state of the research field: that well-designed third-party studies themselves are few.
Study design: A correlational study using long-term longitudinal data from multiple regions.
Participants: About 1,300 children followed from 54 months (about age 4 and a half) to age 15 at several sites in the United States.
Main results: Math ability in the preschool years predicted math achievement at age 15. Furthermore, growth in math from age 4 and a half to 1st grade predicted later achievement more strongly than the absolute level in the preschool years.
Limitations: Because it is a longitudinal observational study, it does not prove a causal relationship (that improving early math will improve future mathematics). It is a study of U.S. families and may not apply as is to the Japanese context.
Study design: A quasi-experimental intervention study with classrooms as units (geometry activities centered on spatial awareness vs. regular lessons).
Participants: About 67 children from kindergarten to 2nd grade in Canada (39 in the spatial training group / 28 in the comparison group). The intervention ran for 32 weeks within regular lessons, about 45 hours in total.
Main results: The spatial training group showed improvement on spatial awareness tests and on math tasks such as comparing numbers. It suggests that number sense in math can be improved by a route separate from calculation drills.
Limitations: The sample is small, and long-term effects have not been tested. It is not a study evaluating the Kumon Method itself, but this article refers to it as related evidence showing that “there are areas hard to improve with calculation drills alone.”