Okay, enough rhetorical questions. This post is all about developing NUMBER SENSE aka NUMERACY (math + literacy) through living and playing.
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Math through playing
Kids' play is kids' work. There are a lot of great games out there to help kids practice teamwork, logic, and problem solving, but here are some that our family has found great for math skills. Did I miss something you love? Please drop a comment!
Dominoes
Skills: Quantity recognition, matching
The Ladybug Game
Skills: Counting, quantity, early numeral recognition
Your lady bug will advance or retreat according to the game cards. Be sure to collect enough aphids to appease the ants so you can get to the finish line.
War (card game)
Skills: Numeral recognition, counting, quantity/value comparison
This is an oldie but goodie! Start out with just the number cards and let your child count out the number of symbols to make the concrete comparison to see who wins (8 hearts beats 4 clubs!). Later on you can switch to a deck that doesn't show the symbols to see if they remember their numerals and can make abstract comparisons.
Math War
Skills: Addition and subtraction
Played just like war, but the comparison is made between the sum or difference of the expression on the card.
Cow Dice
Yahtzee
Skills: Addition, simple multiplication
Let your child add and multiply to figure out how many points they have rolled in a classic game of Yahtzee! Then let them practice writing numbers as they keep score.
Challenge 24 Game
Played just like war, but the comparison is made between the sum or difference of the expression on the card.
Cow Dice
Skills: Odd versus even, addition, doubling
This is a fun a simple game! Each die has the numbers 2-6 and the picture of a cow. Players take turns rolling the dice trying to score points. Only even numbers are worth points, and the trick is that you get to double your sum once for each cow you roll. Dice can be re-rolled two times. Play until you meet a certain goal and practice 2- and 3-digit addition as well!
This is a fun a simple game! Each die has the numbers 2-6 and the picture of a cow. Players take turns rolling the dice trying to score points. Only even numbers are worth points, and the trick is that you get to double your sum once for each cow you roll. Dice can be re-rolled two times. Play until you meet a certain goal and practice 2- and 3-digit addition as well!
Yahtzee
Skills: Addition, simple multiplication
Let your child add and multiply to figure out how many points they have rolled in a classic game of Yahtzee! Then let them practice writing numbers as they keep score.
Challenge 24 Game
Skills: Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
This game can be played solo or competitively. For each card, try to be the first to add, subtract, multiply, and divide to get the result of 24. But be aware you have to use each number exactly once!
Monopoly
Skills: Percents, 2- and 3-digit addition and subtraction
I have to admit that I don't love this game. But my kid does! And figuring out how much tax he owes is a great motivator to learn about percents. Not to mention all of the math needed to make change when paying rent or buying properties.
Battleship (Star Wars version or traditional) [ETA 2/20/17]
Skills: Coordinate systems
If your child knows the alphabet and numerals, battleship can introduce them to the idea of coordinates on a grid.
Dragon Box Apps (basic and advanced algebra, numbers)
If you want to go digital, I cannot recommend Dragon Box highly enough! Not only is the art and music chic, these apps really take advantage of the digital medium. The algebra apps let a child use algebraic thinking even if they cannot write read, write numerals, or add/subtract. Kids as young as 4 or 5 can do it! For a non-reader, a parent will need to explain some of the basic rules, but the child can mostly play on their own. Just drag and drop picture tiles to try to get the box alone to finish each problem. Later on, these will turn into letter variables, numbers, and x. As you progress through each level, you will get to watch your dragon egg hatch and grow to full-size! Dragon Box numbers is oriented to teach number sense. It lets kids drag unit squares onto each other to add them into bigger and bigger numbers, or break them apart again. Or kids can collect coins by pressing the number that corresponds to the height where the coin is floating. Simple
Math through living
Beyond games, kids are surrounded by opportunities to practice math skills if we tune into them. Grocery stores and kitchens are two of the best places for this. Let your kids help you read prices and weigh produce when they are younger, then determine prices after coupons and calculate and compare unit prices when they are older. When they have a handle on those skills, let them help plan a menu and budget how much different meals cost.
Although cooking with young kids usually takes more time than cooking alone, there are a lot of math opportunities to be had! (Not to mention life skills.) I try to start early and block off the meal prep time as activity time, part of our weekly Kid Chef theme. Little kids can learn to recognize different measuring spoons and cups and start to understand fractions. It's easier to see the difference between 1/4 and 1/2 when you can pour 1/4 tsp of salt into the 1/2 tsp spoon two times! Practice doubling or halving recipes, reading serving sizes (e.g., how many cups are in a can), and reading nutrition labels to evaluate macronutrient ratios. These activities are all building numeracy while learning important life skills that are often overlooked in school.
This game can be played solo or competitively. For each card, try to be the first to add, subtract, multiply, and divide to get the result of 24. But be aware you have to use each number exactly once!
Monopoly
Skills: Percents, 2- and 3-digit addition and subtraction
I have to admit that I don't love this game. But my kid does! And figuring out how much tax he owes is a great motivator to learn about percents. Not to mention all of the math needed to make change when paying rent or buying properties.
Battleship (Star Wars version or traditional) [ETA 2/20/17]
Skills: Coordinate systems
If your child knows the alphabet and numerals, battleship can introduce them to the idea of coordinates on a grid.
Dragon Box Apps (basic and advanced algebra, numbers)
If you want to go digital, I cannot recommend Dragon Box highly enough! Not only is the art and music chic, these apps really take advantage of the digital medium. The algebra apps let a child use algebraic thinking even if they cannot write read, write numerals, or add/subtract. Kids as young as 4 or 5 can do it! For a non-reader, a parent will need to explain some of the basic rules, but the child can mostly play on their own. Just drag and drop picture tiles to try to get the box alone to finish each problem. Later on, these will turn into letter variables, numbers, and x. As you progress through each level, you will get to watch your dragon egg hatch and grow to full-size! Dragon Box numbers is oriented to teach number sense. It lets kids drag unit squares onto each other to add them into bigger and bigger numbers, or break them apart again. Or kids can collect coins by pressing the number that corresponds to the height where the coin is floating. Simple
Math through living
Beyond games, kids are surrounded by opportunities to practice math skills if we tune into them. Grocery stores and kitchens are two of the best places for this. Let your kids help you read prices and weigh produce when they are younger, then determine prices after coupons and calculate and compare unit prices when they are older. When they have a handle on those skills, let them help plan a menu and budget how much different meals cost.
Although cooking with young kids usually takes more time than cooking alone, there are a lot of math opportunities to be had! (Not to mention life skills.) I try to start early and block off the meal prep time as activity time, part of our weekly Kid Chef theme. Little kids can learn to recognize different measuring spoons and cups and start to understand fractions. It's easier to see the difference between 1/4 and 1/2 when you can pour 1/4 tsp of salt into the 1/2 tsp spoon two times! Practice doubling or halving recipes, reading serving sizes (e.g., how many cups are in a can), and reading nutrition labels to evaluate macronutrient ratios. These activities are all building numeracy while learning important life skills that are often overlooked in school.
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