Last year when my daughter was in first grade, I asked her how she was able to solve her math problems without showing her work, she told me that she had a number grid in her head, and she “simply” used that to add and subtract in her head. By the end of the school year, she was close to doing multiplication.

When school started again in the fall, after a summer of fun and relaxation, she could barely remember how to add single digits together? What happened to the math grid in her head?

This summer, I am determined to be a little more proactive about fighting the summer slide. I’m not too worried about the reading aspect. Our local library has a summer reading program. Borders and Barnes and Noble also have free books to offer when kids turn in a summer reading list.

My problem is always how to keep them practicing their math without making it feel like homework. My daughter has a few of the Leapfrog toys that entertain while requiring her to use her math skills.

For mental agility, I plan on keeping my daughter stocked with sudoku puzzles and other games of logic.

Hopefully by the end of the summer, my daughter and I will both feel like she is ready for the challenges that await her in third grade!

photo by smile4camera