Easy Math for Kids: Ways to Teach Young Children Math
Introducing math to your young child can be a lot of fun, and it can help him stay excited about math as he gets older. The earlier you introduce math concepts by playing counting games, singing songs and reading story books to your child, the less intimidating math will be later on.
How Can I Help My Young Child Learn Basic Math?
Use Objects for Counting
Instead of explaining math concepts, show her with objects, such as buttons or beans, and let her experiment with them. You can guide her, but let her explore on her own as well. Help her to see more than just numbers; demonstrate for her the relationships between different numbers or groups of numbers.
Math objects for teaching young children that are used by many teachers include base-ten blocks, colored wooden blocks, fraction circles, geoboards, geometric solids, 1-inch blocks, pattern blocks, double-sided counters and Unifix cubes. Each of these can help teach more than one math concept. You can look for these online or at stores that sell educational materials.
Play Games
You can find many printable math games, puzzles and crafts on the Internet. There is also a variety of printable math board games. Many websites offer interactive math games for children of various ages and skill levels. Some are simple and may be equivalent to online worksheets or flash cards. Others can rival many higher-level, arcade-style computer games.
Teach Math with Books and Songs
You can find many math-related story books, especially for young children. Many of these books use illustrations and rhymes to teach kids easy math. Look for such titles as One Hundred Hungry Ants by Elinor J. Pinczes, Quack and Count by Keith Baker, Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni and The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins.
Your child can also learn math concepts through songs. Many are songs that kids have known for generations, such as 'This Old Man,' '100 Bottles of Milk on the Wall' and 'One, Two, Buckle My Shoe.' You can find a variety of math songs to sing along with on YouTube.com. Many of these songs are also available for download as MP3s, or you can find them on CDs full of math songs.
For even more fun and creativity, challenge your kid make up his own math stories, songs and poems. You may be surprised at his ingenuity!
Other Articles You May Be Interested In
-
MIND Games Lead to Math Gains
Imagine a math teaching tool so effective that it need only be employed twice per week for less than an hour to result in huge proficiency gains. Impossible, you say? Not so...and MIND Research Institute has the virtual penguin to prove it.
-
Should Math Be a Main Focus in Kindergarten?
Should kindergartners put away the building blocks and open the math books? According to recent research, earlier is better when it comes to learning mathematical concepts. But that could put undue pressure on kids, parents and even teachers.
We Found 7 Tutors You Might Be Interested In
Huntington Learning
- What Huntington Learning offers:
- Online and in-center tutoring
- One on one tutoring
- Every Huntington tutor is certified and trained extensively on the most effective teaching methods
K12
- What K12 offers:
- Online tutoring
- Has a strong and effective partnership with public and private schools
- AdvancED-accredited corporation meeting the highest standards of educational management
Kaplan Kids
- What Kaplan Kids offers:
- Online tutoring
- Customized learning plans
- Real-Time Progress Reports track your child's progress
Kumon
- What Kumon offers:
- In-center tutoring
- Individualized programs for your child
- Helps your child develop the skills and study habits needed to improve their academic performance
Sylvan Learning
- What Sylvan Learning offers:
- Online and in-center tutoring
- Sylvan tutors are certified teachers who provide personalized instruction
- Regular assessment and progress reports
Tutor Doctor
- What Tutor Doctor offers:
- In-Home tutoring
- One on one attention by the tutor
- Develops personlized programs by working with your child's existing homework
TutorVista
- What TutorVista offers:
- Online tutoring
- Student works one-on-one with a professional tutor
- Using the virtual whiteboard workspace to share problems, solutions and explanations