"Fun" Math

[Oakblossoms]

We have used MUS up to this year. My older two went to Teaching Textbooks. We all love it. It has made my life easier. I needed to find more time in my day and that has helped. Next year I would like to have my youngest boy in TT 3. We will have another baby by then and it will help a lot!

 

My youngest son is in Grade 2. He is doing MUS Alpha. It's going ok. He is on Lesson 7. We just started it recently and he is doing about 2 lessons a week. My plan is to do as much as that and MUS Beta before the fall of 2011. Then move on to TT 3.

 

BUT:tongue_smilie: he is an easily frustrated child. He does have some delays in speech and reading. He is a very active child and I'm sure someone somewhere would love to label him;) We are choosing not to. Just enjoying his lovely amount of energy.

 

I have been wondering if I might find a better fit or at least some fun math supplements to play with. I have looked at several different things Saxon, RightStart Math, and Delta Math in a Nutshell Kits. Our VA would pay for these things. So, don't consider cost in this scenario.

 

I like the samples of Saxon. But, it seems like it might take much longer to do each lesson. I'm trying to keep his math time to around 3, 30 minute session each week. It's really all I can schedule into our lives at the moment. It, also, seems to be about all he can handle.

 

RightStart looks all cute and fluffy. But, I'm not sure if I want that much of a formal lesson. I like that with MUS I can just watch the DVD or read the short lesson in the teacher book. Do, a page or two with him and move on next time. I have done this with two other students, so I know what it's all about already.

 

Delta Math Kits. We love the Science ones. So, I was thinking I could pull it out once a week and let him play with it. It might be a good thing to do while I make dinner or on a Sunday afternoon.

 

Any thoughts? I will take other suggestions, too. I don't really want to buy a bunch of games at the moment. I really need them to be purchased by my VA. They have bought some games for us like card games that were Art and History related though.

[Guest]

Peggy Kaye's Games For Math is available in most libraries and has lots of very simple games involving movement. You can adjust many of them up or down depending on your child's level. We used them for years.

 

Family Math is also in many libraries and has suggestions for short, simple games, and you don't need to buy any special supplies.

 

ThinkFun has strategy-type games that I've seen in every Barnes and Noble around; they're good for developing logical and spatial thinking, which are crucial for later math. RushHour is also really good in this way.

 

If he will sit still for read-alouds, there are some wonderful math picture books. Dd loved the Sir Cumference books and would act them all out with props made of paper. If you have a pet, you can copy some of the activities in Loreen Leedy's Measuring Penny.

[daughterofsarah77]

Check out www.letsplaymath.net and www.livingmath.net for some great ideas!