1st grade math, logic puzzles, other puzzles, other topics, etc

[Janeway]

We are already doing Singapore Math 1A. Problem is, I realize now that the entire book is pretty much math facts. I do not feel daughter is ready to move on to 1B. I would like her to be more solid in math facts. Maybe I should move her on to 1B and just later, pull from 1A for review. But she hates doing math suddenly. It has been coming on for a week or two actually. She tells me she knows how to do this math already. Sadly, I made her work on math facts using apps and Rod and Staff drill pages before really moving in to book 1a. She could definitely do what is at the end of the book, but pretty much, 90% of the book is stuff we have already been doing. I cannot say she is strong at it. I CAN say she is strong willed! 

 

I could move on to 1B. But I was also thinking maybe we could do ...something...something like ...puzzles. I am open to workbooks and computer games and apps. She already loves putting together puzzles. Her reading is completely average. As in, she tested right on the line for beginning 1st grade. I just recall as a child having all these puzzle books, pen and pencil type things. I would not know what the books were called. I will likely move on to the next level in math in August, but would like other things to do also. I am thinking of switching math programs so do not wish to buy 1B until I have made my decision.

 

edited to clarify: I am not looking for anything to help memorize math facts. Singapore Math 1A is almost all just math facts and daughter, who has already worked a ton on math facts, is quite bored with this and no longer wants to do math. I am hoping to find something else to do in the meantime, not math facts. I can just pull the 1A book off the shelf when I feel like it to return to math facts in the book. I guess I never looked close enough to realize the entire book was just single digit math facts, or 90% of it is anyway.

[mumto2]

We used puzzles with math frequently but it’s been awhile.   Singapore was our primary math but we always had something else going too,  normally Abeka because it was quick  at that age and colorful, did the drill just by being repetitive.   We used several books from the Critical Thinking Company https://www.criticalthinking.com/mind-benders-level-2.html,  Mindbenders were favorites.  I also had lots of jigsaw puzzles that I bought at garage sales.  If you have Cuisinare Rods from Minquon there are additional puzzle books available.....

Not books but ThinkFun Games like Rivercrossing were huge favorites, individual with a stack of problem solving cards.  Some of these can be played online now although we own most of the games which I have stored in a game box.  Occasionally someone still plays.  ?. https://www.thinkfun.com/play-online/

[Sarah0000]

I like Greg Tang's picture books (check your library) and free web resources that focus on number bonds for going along with Singapore 1. The Right Start math card games are also a fun way to review and can be used throughout elementary math. But I didn't feel it was necessary to memorize the facts in a vacuum before moving on. As long as the student can quickly calculate the answer using a mental math technique such as making a ten then that's good. It hasn't held my son back at all even in fourth grade math.

If you want math puzzles you could look at Mep Year 1 worksheets. We used these sporadically with Singapore 1 but they don't focus on the same skill set. 

[ExcitedMama]

I’ve done logic books and games with DS but I wouldn’t expect them to help with math facts. I didn’t realize that DS wasn’t memorizing math facts until this year when he was doing more multiplication. I wanted to help him learn his tables and found Xtramath.org which I highly recommend. I have him and DD doing it. They take a placement test and the software gives them a few questions everyday before it stops. It’s great because there is a short limit and it really helps. My DS is a bit of a grump but actually enjoys the smiley face rewards they get for getting answers right and gets excited about how many he can get in a row. I’m hoping doing it with DD younger will help her have a better grasp of math facts. 

I cant speak to Singapore because we do MIF, but is she able to grasp the materials in 1A and do the problems? If so I would keep going. I do think Miquon is great so I think that’s a great program to use as well. My DS is also strong willed so it really helps when he finds something he likes (or likes more). For DS it explains the material better when introducing a new concept. He prefers Miquon to MIF so I mix it in. I used it later with him so I’m using it earlier with DD. 

My DD is really enjoying the MindBender series from CTC. She thinks it fun. I think it’s great for her listening skills (she can’t read the question) and for her reasoning. 

[Targhee]

We have done an ecclectic mix of things alongside 1st grade Singapore. We added in Education Unboxed and c-rod games (and Miquon orange book), games and lessons from RightStart, Lollipop Logic (it’s fun but not usually math puzzles), DreamBox, Moebius Noodles, and we even got a 100 count bag of polyhedral dice and used it to make groups/zest’s, graphs, patterns, and as counters.

[Jackie]

The MathMania magazines from Highlights were great for about a year or so at this stage. Each issue is a varied collection of logic puzzles, math puzzles, geometry puzzles... just lots and lots of puzzles. They’re at a variety of levels in each issue, but that was good, too. DD would find some stuff in each one that she found interesting and could do, then put it aside. When she was bored a few months later, she’d pick it up again and be able to do more.