Want a fun math activity?  Try tangrams.  Theses are seven shapes, or tans, which come from China.  It’s geometry and it’s a lot more fun than proofs!  (Or is it just me who still hates 10th grade geometry?) Print out your own set of tangrams or order a  set from ThinkFun.   Rearranging the tans increases spacial skills. You’ll... [read more ]

Congratulations to Lori!  Random.org picked you as the winner! Discovery Toy’s Busy Bugs ROCK!  Both my 4 year old and 7 year old LOVE them . . . and our 3 year old friend and his little 2 year old brother LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them, too. The 36 colorful bugs just make you want to count, sort and classify.  Double sided rectangular cards give... [read more ]

Guest post by Whitney Trujillo, www.themotherlist.com My son was recently given a fabulous toy from a family friend.  I was amazed at how much learning was packed into one smallish toy train.  Ours happens to be the Fisher-Price Little People Stack ‘n Sort Train, and it really does have it all – building, sorting and all in a train with... [read more ]

You know that your kids learn better with repetition and engaging activities.  So, weave in math learning opportunities throughout the day. How many 1/4 cups to fill up your cereal bowl? (estimation) What do those fractions add up to make? (addition of fractions) How many minutes until we leave?  How many hours until you return home? (elapsed time) There... [read more ]

Ask anyone about allowance and you’ll get a wide variety of answers -  when to start, if it’s tied to chores, how much money, every detail.  While it’s good to know friend’s opinions, what are you going to do?  What am I going to do?  I ask because I still have no idea what to do.  Recently, I found a website that is helping... [read more ]

Do you watch your own children struggling with math facts, hating flashcards and tuning out? According to the office of Learning Resources of the University of Utah, the best way to get those pesky math facts into long term memory is to “RECITE – Recitation is the single most effective way to increase long term memory.”   Skip... [read more ]

Congratulations to Colleen!  Random.org picked you as the winner of this contest! I admit it.  My daughter is in the second grade and not telling time.  At all. I’ve tried practice clocks.  Talking clocks.  Worksheets.  A clock game.  Nothing seemed to help. So, I tried labeling the minutes by 5s with sticky notes. But, she still kept... [read more ]

Making your own jigsaw puzzle is a fun way to incorporate math (visual-spacial skills) and art.  Jigsaw puzzles involve lots of kid fun — drawing, coloring, pasting and cutting. (And, save your recycled cereal boxes this week because you’re going to need them.) Observe something about fall or Halloween.  Look out the window, look around... [read more ]

Got some time?  Count.  Count in the car.  Count on a walk.  Count making dinner.   By 1s, by 10s, by 2s, by 5s.  Counting is fun but takes repetition. Count by ones (1s) to one hundred (100). Count from one and see how high you can go! Count your fingers — make sure that you have ten. Hap Palmer music CD with the Number March song. Play... [read more ]

MAKE THE BOOK Do you have any paper?  Good, then you’re ready to make a counting book.  Fold paper, staple.  (Cut out into a cool shape for extra fun or go buy one at an educational supply store like I did.) Decorate the cover.  Give your book a title. NUMBER AND STICKER For preschoolers, you write the number from 1 to 10, one number per... [read more ]

My kids will eat melons IF they get to use the melon baller.  (Finally, I’ve found the answer!)  Last week, we bought a honeydew, a cantaloupe, and a watermelon.  Each girl got a melon baller and got to work “balling” the melons. After making the balls, the kids stuck the balls onto straws.  And inadvertently, we made patterned... [read more ]

Sort, count, add and compare . . . with your food.  I suggest M&Ms, Chex Mix, Fruit Loops, jelly beans, or different shaped pretzels.  Yes, I’m writing this and getting hungry.  Or maybe I already was. Darling preschoolers Don’t you love this age?  They’re beginning to count so get them to COUNT as high as possible with... [read more ]