Math games for retention of facts?

[Mama2Three]

Hi there,

 

My DS "knows" his math facts in the context of games we play, but at this point it doesn't translate into knowing facts when he does his math work. For example, when we play Parcheesi, he can add the 2 dice together (so sums up to 12), but when he has to add 2 numbers together for math, he wants to use his fingers. If I he starts using his fingers to solve a problem, I can say, "what if you rolled 6+5?" -- then he would know the answer right away.

 

I'm assuming that eventually it'll click for him and he'll "own" the information so he can recall the math facts when needed, even in different contexts. But I'm also wondering if we should start some sort of drill work or math copy work. I'm concerned about too little too late, but we beforeschool, so time is at a premium and I don't want to add in "extra" work if it can be postponed.

 

We were using RS math, but I've recently switched him to Singapore because it's less teacher intensive. We still use the abacus and some RS reinforcement.

 

TIA for your thoughts. :)

Edited December 30, 2008 by Mama2Three

[inashoe]

With the dice he is probably adding the dots quickly.

 

There is an free online math drill at Math U See - I have my kids do this everyday. http://www.mathusee.com/drill.html

 

There is also Flashmaster, costs about $50 - http://www.flashmaster.com/

kids think of it a handheld electronic game !

[ElizabethB]

I do a few addition facts orally in the car while we're driving. No extra time needed. We also have recently purchased the Flashmaster, it's more fun than worksheets and much quicker, also, it allows me to see the last 15 problems she's missed, the facts she knows keeps changing (learning a few, forgetting a few), so that makes it easier to keep up with, I then keep these in mind when we're driving somewhere. If he doesn't get car sick, he could do the Flashmaster in the car. (It does multiplication and division, too.)