The Great Math Hunt is a sort of Easter egg hunt kind of game using Math-U-See or other manipulatives.

1. Have your student hide so he can’t see what you’re doing.
2. Write two lists of the same random numbers - My student is working right now on place value to the hundreds so normally he has to build, say, and write the numbers out in some fashion as the book dictates. So I wrote down numbers like 123, 17, 222, 741, etc… One list was for him. The other was for me because I am forgetful and lacking in sleep and would likely forget where I hid each of them if I didn’t have it written down. On my list I wrote where I planned to hide each number.
3. Build each number with the manipulatives and then hide them around the house; under your desk, behind a couch, in the bathtub, under giant piles of laundry (just kidding on that one… though I could have done that as I have a neglected Mount Vesuvius of a laundry pile pining for my attention on the couch.)
4. Give your student the list without the answers written on it.
   
5. Then he has to go around the house and find the hidden numbers, say the number, find it on his paper, and X it out with his marker.
   

For a twist on this game have your student build & hide the numbers for you to find or have a race between 2 students to see who can find the most in the shortest period of time.

Nan is the sassy wife of a hot reformed pastor. She’s an American expat living in Canada. Her four sons make life like a veritable lunchbox. She blogs regularly at Life is Like a Lunchbox

Counting — Lunch is great time for the young child just learning how to count. They can work on the very important skill of one-to-one correspondence. While your child may be able to count to ten in rote counting, it is a further skill to count each object and get the correct number. (This is why so many kids first start counting objects and count them incorrectly, even though they know how to count aloud. It’s just a higher skill.)

Patterns — You can set up the patterns for them, and ask them to recognize the pattern (and what might come next), or you can ask them to try to make their own pattern.

Cook with Recipes — Have your child help with food preparation! Ask them to read directions, make measurements, and other preparations. There are tons of great cookbooks that are written specifically for kids. Because my kids are all third grade and younger, I like that the text in these is usually easier to read/understand, there are typically pictures, recipes tend to be on the easier side, and final dishes are usually kid friendly.

When Angie isn’t busy in the kitchen, you can find her writing at Many Little Blessings about faith, family, and household management.

Math. It’s everywhere. It’s important. And there are lots of ways to help your children understand how math works in our lives every single day. Here are a few math resources outside the “curricula” box.

Story Books that incorporate math concepts:

1. Stuart J. Murphy’s MathStart books: The Grizzly Gazette (MathStart) is one great title among many.
2. Sir Cumference Adventure book series
3. Greg Tang’s Math books: Math-terpieces is a good one to try.

Web sites and resources:

1. Living Math
2. Unschooling Math
3. Math Baseball
4. Math Playground
5. Math Fact Cafe
6. Cool Math for Kids

And don’t forget good old-fashioned board and strategy games, such as Monopoly, Yahtzee, Othello, Mille Bornes Card Game, Battleship and Risk. And cooking! And shopping! There’s all kinds of math fun going on around us. Just keep your eyes open for the opportunities.

Photo by Ansik

Do your students complain during math time? In today’s hack, Dr. Daisy shows us how to make math fun!

Math doesn’t have to be a difficult or boring subject. As with many subjects presentation is key to the enjoyment of the student.

• Preschoolers will have fun learning to count everyday objects. Legos, popsicle sticks, coins, & stickers all make great manipulatives.
• Older children can apply the basics to more difficult concepts by helping out in the kitchen. Cooking is an everyday activity you can use to demonstrate many math skills (i.e. the metric system, measuring, addition, division, & fractions).
• There are many free online games you can use to entice your child to love math. Some of our favorite sites are Cool Math 4 Kids, Fun Brain & Cool Math.
• If you have more than one child, have them teach each other. Sometimes another child can explain a concept in a new & fresh way for a younger student. Teaching a particular concept to a younger sibling helps cement it in the mind of the older child & provides an opportunity to develop mathematical self confidence.
• Sing Math songs. A great one to try is Totally Math by Dr. Jean. Check your local library for free CDs.
• Help your student practice their math skills by playing games like Monopoly, dominoes, & muggins.
• Have an impromptu math lesson at the grocery store. Have your student identify the units & cost of items as well as the sizes compared to cost.

Just like with reading comprehension point out to your child when they use a math skill in everyday life. This demonstrates math as an important everyday skill & solidifies the importance of learning math for your student.

Dr. Mommy is a retired doctor who has chosen her family over her career. She is a Christian, wife, mom, freelance writer, & homeschooling & health/wellness advocate. She has been homeschooling her 5 children for over 10 years & enjoys sharing her knowledge & tips regarding homeschooling with new home school parents, veteran home school parents & those who would like supplemental information for their children.
Visit her site for more information Dr. Mommy Homeschool Tips

THUMBS UP!

(from DarkRoastBlend)

Nonfiction Monday Round-up- Wonderful books to check out from your local library.

Cute Dice Game Ideas- Cabin fever anyone?

75 questions to ask yourself- I love this handy list of questions.