math for a 3.5 year old?

[beth83]

So I have read all over the place about waiting to school (whether formal or informal) your child until they get older. I get it, I really do. Stop and smell the roses. But what do you do when your child specifically asks to do school? My 3 and a half year old HATES outside. I mean, I sort of don't blame her since we live in Texas and it is still in the high 90s. She stands at the door begging to come inside if we are outside for more than 10 minutes. She has always loved coloring and doing anything educational. She obviously gravitates towards cleaner activities. This was me to a T when I was younger, so I understand where she is coming from.

 

This year we have started informal schooling. I have outfitted this house with lots of manipulatives, puzzles, lacing toys, pattern toys, play dough, etc, etc, etc. She literally wakes up bouncing off the walls wanting to do "school." My plan was just a lot of repetition this whole year and we would start more formal stuff next year, but now she is complaining things are too easy. She breezes through every counting/number identification activity I present her. We have numbers 1-10 down and I don't know how to go on from here. We have a calendar that we count on every day and she can say all of the numbers by herself, but I want to really start teaching past 10 (not just counting but actually knowing what the larger numbers represent), plus other basic concepts.

 

Does anyone have any recommendation for good teaching books for this? I guess more of a curriculum. How do you teach past 10? Like number families? And simple addition/subtraction... adding 1, adding 2, skip counting, etc.

[Spy Car]

Miquon.

 

Bill

[Aurelia]

You could go very slowly through Right Start A. We did it when my daughter was 4, and it was a huge hit. You can also look at something like Kitchen Table Math or the early Family Math book, although those might not be "schoolish" enough for her. I like the way RS starts off teaching the "teen" numbers, as one-ten-two, for example, instead of the word "twelve". It makes more sense and is easier for the child to understand than the weird English names we use. You could also give her the Kumon counting book, if they still make it. We used that before RS, I think the title was My Book of Counting 1-30.

[Five More Minutes]

Miquon.

 

Bill

 

:iagree: Mine enjoyed it at 3 and still enjoys it at 4 ... :)

[twoxcell]

You could get Singapore Essentials math K. They have two books a, and b. A is fairly simply and could be used for Preschool. My dd who is 3 loves the Rod and Staff ABC workbooks. They aren't exactly math but they cover a bunch of topics including numbers ect. They are really fun and great for listening skills and fine motor skills.

[swellmomma]

My dd just turned 4, she is really enjoying mathematical reasoning book 1

[beth83]

Thank you for the responses! They were exactly what I was hoping for and now I am just trying to pick.

 

Question about Right Start... do I need to buy all the math items that go with it? I love the program, but I don't know if I can bring myself to spend almost $150 for a 3 year old.

 

And I love the idea of bringing workbooks, etc, outside. Once it cools off, we will have to start doing everything outside!

[Aurelia]

If you already have the math items, you don't need them. The main thing you should buy, other than the lesson plans and workbook is the abacus, place value cards, and I really appreciated the appendices (no photocopying and everything is printed on cardstock instead of easily torn paper).

[jillian]

We are doing rightstart a with our little one this year. Same age. She's flying through it though.

[MeaganS]

You might also try Kitchen Table Math by the AoPS people. It's not a curriculum so much as a guide on how to teach different concepts without a curriculum. If you wanted to keep things informal, but start to get into more difficult concepts, this would be handy. I've only spent a little time looking over it, as my daughter isn't past the first stages that they mention at the beginning, but it does look amazing as far as informal math teaching goes.

 

You might also try MEP Reception. She's a little young, but it is free, so if it is over her head you don't lose anything, and it comes highly recommended.

 

Also, I plan on starting Miquon as soon as my daughter is ready, which shouldn't be all that far off now.

[go_go_gadget]

I've only used RightStart for that age, but we've loved it. I do use all the manipulatives and echo others' testimonies as to the usefulness of the appendices, and would add that the manipulatives are used again in RightStart B, so it's not as expensive as it seems at first glance if you plan to continue with RightStart for at least another year, or with a second child. I would imagine, too, that you could hang around the sale subforum and buy one used for good price. I've also heard good things about Miquon and MEP Reception, but have no experience with either of those.

[ElizaG]

dd hated also to be outside but became a little pale.

I decided to take her workpages, crayons and books outside on a childrentable and she enjoyed.

We've found this helpful with our little bookworms, too. :) Another idea is to do lots of music and movement activities: singing songs that involve counting, learning to sing intervals with solfege, marching or clapping out rhythms, etc. This approach is very traditional, and it's also backed up by current research.

 

http://www.childcareexchange.com/resources/view_article.php?article_id=5015846

[LittleIzumi]

I love MEP Reception for my little. I also have her play with C-rods, although she hasn't been interested in actual Miquon yet.

[brett_ashley]

get some pattern blocks and linking cubes and just play! Counting, sorting, patterns--she should be ready to start naming patterns by letter (ABAB, etc.)

 

I highly recommend Miquon or Math in Focus K.

[WishboneDawn]

Miquon.

 

Bill

 

:iagree: It's relatively cheap compared to Rightstart.

[FO4UR]

Miquon!!!

 

 

:iagree:

[Mergath]

My dd loves MEP Reception so far. She wakes up and begs to do school.