Math at Home:
Games:
• Reinforce addition and subtraction facts through
games. Take 2 dice (or use a deck of cards with the
face cards removed) and have your child add up the two
numbers rolled or drawn. Then take the total and
subtract one of the numbers rolled (drawn) and ask
them the answer.
• Play card and dice games to build basic fact skills. Crib is an excellent
choice, as well as 21 and 31. I often use games to reinforce math
skills. One I often use is 351. You need: 26 buttons or bingo chips in
two different colors, a game board and three dice. Players roll three
dice. If a player rolls a 2, 3 and 6, they manipulate the numbers using
addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to equal a number up
to 26. E.g. 3x6=18+2=20 or 6x2=12=3=15 or 3x2=6x3=18 or
2+3=5+6=11 or 3+6=9-2=7 etc. As noted each set of numbers
generates a variety of combinations. A number is chosen and selected
from the game board. Once the number is taken it cannot be used
again by any player. Keep alternating turns until all numbers are taken.
• Another good game is Roll to 31 (or 100 if you have a Hundreds Chart).
You’ll need two dice or a deck of cards with the face cards removed; a
calendar or Hundreds Chart; and buttons or bingo chips for markers.
Roll the dice or pull two cards and find the sum. Put your marker on
that number on the calendar/ chart. So if you roll a 3 and 4 put your
marker on the 7. The other player does the same, if they roll at 2 and
5 they also put their maker on the 7. Next time roll the two dice and
take the sum and add it to the number on the calendar. If you roll a 6
and 3, 6+3=9 then add to your original 7, 9+7=16. Move your counter to
the 16th spot. If the other player rolls a 1 and 5, 1+5=6 then add to
your original 7, 6+7=13. Continue until you reach the end of the
calendar or 100. Then roll back to the beginning but this time subtract
the new number from the original. If you’re on
28 and you roll a 2 and 3, subtract 5 from 28
and put your marker on the 23. Keep going until
you are back at the beginning.
Note: Copies of Hundreds Charts and the 351 Game Boards are available
from Mrs. McCharles.
•
Encourage your child to Skip Count by 2 (2,4,6, 8 etc) and 3
(3,6,9,12,15 etc) up to 50; 5 and 10 to 120. Then progress to 4, 6, and
8. Practice doubles: 4 +4 = 8; 5+5 = 10; 6+6 = 12; 7+7 = 14; 8+8 = 16;
9+9 = 18; and 10+10 = 20. Knowing your doubles helps with two times
tables; and double the double helps to master the four times table.
Doubles plus or minus one can help learn facts such as 8+7.
Money:
• Take a handful of coins and calculate the total
amount. How many quarters are in $10.00?
Practice grouping coins for a purchase such as a
stamp, a phone call, milk, etc. Do some problem
solving. You have $3.50; the ___ costs $10.00;
how much more do you need?
• Encourage your child to use money. Have your child show you
different ways to make a set amount of money. E.g. $1.43 a loonie, a
quarter, a dime, a nickel and three pennies; fourteen dimes and three
pennies; five quarters, a dime, a nickel and three pennies; etc. Have
them count out change. If an item costs $1.85, how much will they get
back from a twoonie. Have your child figure out how much it will cost
to buy a group of items. Use grocery flyers to have them pick out
three items and figure out how much they will cost.
Time:
• Encourage your child to tell you what time it is. Use both analog and
digital clocks. As well, ask how long it will take to do an activity. E.g.
If we go to the 3:00 p.m. show and the show is 2 hours when will we be
home. Or before your child goes somewhere, say: “you have to be
home at ____; how long/ much time can you stay at _______?
Make math real. At school we often teach concepts abstractly, help your
child get a real life understanding of geometry, measurement, etc.
• When traveling read maps, charts, schedules and tables together to
plan events.
• Encourage estimation; ask your child to make guesses about how long/
high an object is; how far things are on maps. After he/she guesses
sometimes ask him/her to verify his/her answer. Was the guess
close?
• Cooking and construction/ building/ renovating will help your child
develop his/her sense of measurement and capacity.
Another helpful website is:
http://www.achievebc.ca/downloads/pdf/MathForFamilies.pdf