Mastering basic math skills is often the most tedious part of an elementary school child's day. You can make math fun at home by providing interactive math-based activities. Use them as a reward for completing homework, or as an alternative to watching more television. If your kids want to blast aliens on a video game, why not encourage them to play a game in which they practice mental math to figure out which aliens to blast?
Math Manipulatives
Manipulatives are objects kids can use to visualize a math problem. Dried beans are a simple manipulative you may already have around the house. If your child is struggling with multiplication or division facts, give him several small bowls and a third, larger bowl filled with dried beans. To demonstrate dividing 10 by 2, for example, fill the larger bowl with 10 beans. Give your child two smaller bowls and ask him to distribute the 10 beans so each small bowl has the same number of beans. You can use this concept to help him figure out homework problems in multiplication and algebra as well.
Math Games
Games involving two or more dice are a great way to practice addition facts while having fun. Logic puzzles such as soduku help kids develop a math mindset.
Video Games
JumpStart Online is just one of dozens of educational video game websites available. One of the games on JumpStart Online asks kids to solve basic math problems in order to either fly toward or avoid certain obstacles. The math problems get progressively more difficult as kids complete levels.
Adapting Games
You can adapt some games to give them an educational boost. Write digits from 0 to 9 on sheets of paper and tape these to the colored circles on a Twister mat. Rather than calling out "right hand on red," call out a sum such as 15. Your child must put her hands or feet on numbers that add up to 15. Hopscotch can be adapted in a similar way. Write numbers in each square, then ask your child to add the numbers she hops on and subtract the numbers she hops over.
Math Songs and Poems
In some cases, your child will simply have to memorize his math facts. To make memorizing easier and more fun, introduce poems and songs designed to help kids remember math facts. Songsforteaching.com produces albums designed to teach math facts as well as a wide variety of other academic and nonacademic skills.
References
- University of Montana Department of Mathematical Sciences: Using Manipulatives in Mathematical Problem Solving
- "Mastering Math Facts: Addition & Subtraction"; Richard Piccirilli; 2009
