Ann@thebeach Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I have a 4 yr old that can identify numbers to 10 and count easily to 20 and often higher to 50. He can even count backwards from 10. He's recently even started counting by 10s because his sister is working on that right now. We often do math in every day activities like counting things and adding things together. I think he'd enjoy doing more math activities and he's obviously ready to learn more at this "sponge" stage but I'm just not the type to make them up as I go. I much rather have a book or guide of some sort to follow. Any ideas of some fun, colorful math for the K level? I was planning on starting MCP K next year but I think it might be a bit too dull for him at this point since he's pretty visual. Anyone use the counting frog series (don't remember the name)? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wee Pip Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 My visual dd loved BJU K Math. The teacher's guide has a lot of hands-on type instruction, and then the workbook is very colorful and visual in it's explanations & practice. I introduced this book when she was 4.5-5 and she found it quite easy. It taught all the usual K stuff: numbers, counting, money, time, measuring, calendar, adding, subtracting, place value...I did not use the teacher's guide as much as I should have, but she really just wanted to get right to the workbook. Now she's 6 and will finish 1st gr BJU Math tomorrow (which makes me kind of sad, in a way...she'll be getting into more serious math soon!) One thing to note: sometimes the workbook will refer to the teacher's guide (instructions say: "listen to your teacher", which you are then supposed to read out of the teacher's guide). Some people find that frustrating because they didn't want to purchase the expensive TG. Other people just make up their own instructions. And then there's me, who likes having a TG and tries to use it, at least occasionally! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate CA Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I would look into DK's Math Made Easy Series on Amazon. The link is to the K program, but you can see in the samples the kinds of things he is likely to learn. There is a whole series of these books by grade level. DK is very colorful and engaging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabrett Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Singapore Earlybird series is full color. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 We found Right Start to have plenty of color due to the manipulatives, with very little writing, which may be good if he's not ready for that. You could get level A and do a half lesson or so each time, which usually only takes from 10-20 minutes. If you just want something informal, Peggy Kaye's Games for Math is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 THe Saxon workbook isn't colorful, but it's only a very small part of the lesson. Do the test on Sonlight's website to see where he falls--he might be ready for Saxon 1. The "color" and visual stuff comes from the manipulatives. I also ditched the meeting book and used a poster sized calendar and some sentence strips to make the patterns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann@thebeach Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 Thanks for the suggestions. I think I need to look at Singapore more because I used that with my oldest when he was in 1st grade before we switched over to MCP. I liked the program but my son didn't. However, this son is a very different learner from my first and I think this might be appealing to him. I'll check out the DK too, I vaguely remember seeing this and it was colorful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 THe Saxon workbook isn't colorful, but it's only a very small part of the lesson. Do the test on Sonlight's website to see where he falls--he might be ready for Saxon 1. The "color" and visual stuff comes from the manipulatives. I also ditched the meeting book and used a poster sized calendar and some sentence strips to make the patterns.My dd had just turned 5 when we started her in the Saxon 1 math. It was really quite easy for her. We ended up skipping pages, then slowing down on new or harder areas. We did like aspects of it though, but I'd say if you went with Saxon, you should definitely do Saxon 1, NOT K! With my ds who is now 15, we used A Beka K and 1 in his K year. He loved the books, and they're very colorful! He went through them quickly because he loved them so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowWhite Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I'm going to cast my vote for BJU Math K5. I am in LOVE with that book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Another vote for Earlybird Singapore, and more importantly I'd suggest Cuisenaire Rods which are not only colorful, but make quantities comprehensible to young children. Cuisenaire Rods can be be an "essential" element even with a program that is pretty un-colorful (like Miquon, which uses the Rods to great advantage). But do pick a math program because it is a great one and suited to your child's learning style, and not based simply on how colorful the pages are. KWIM? Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4kiddies Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 My ds5 really likes Calvert's math and you can buy JUST math, not the whole program(which we didn't like).:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 have you looked at MEP? If your son likes to play with numbers, that might be a good program to try. Singapore EB is also excellent and so is BJU. I like the way that all three of them work with mathematical thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann@thebeach Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 Another vote for Earlybird Singapore, and more importantly I'd suggest Cuisenaire Rods which are not only colorful, but make quantities comprehensible to young children. Cuisenaire Rods can be be an "essential" element even with a program that is pretty un-colorful (like Miquon, which uses the Rods to great advantage). Bill We do have the rods but have never really used them. My DD never really got the hang of them (we have the unmarked ones) and got frustrated so we didn't pursue them and just stuck with the MCP math that my older one used. MCP has worked great for both of them but I know each child is different and my 4 yr old is definitely proving that theory! I'm still hoping that MCP might work for him later but I think right now just for this first year or 2 that something more visual and conceptual might work better for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5ray2006 Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 BJU Math K hands down!! :D I also like Abeka K math as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Lilac Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 My DD LOVED BJU K5 math!! She loved that there's a theme (for K it's the farm) that everything related to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 (edited) We do have the rods but have never really used them. My DD never really got the hang of them (we have the unmarked ones) and got frustrated so we didn't pursue them and just stuck with the MCP math that my older one used. MCP has worked great for both of them but I know each child is different and my 4 yr old is definitely proving that theory! I'm still hoping that MCP might work for him later but I think right now just for this first year or 2 that something more visual and conceptual might work better for him. If you learn how the Cuisenaire Rods can be introduced and used (Miquon and the 3 Miquon teachers books are great for this, but there are other alternatives) I think there is a good chance you'd have a different experience with your son. Once you have the "a ha" moment you can help gently lead the discovery and for understanding qualitative relationships (without counting) the rods are invaluable. And kids can work out "equations" even before they can write. There is a tiny amount of "prep" work a parent need to do so these are not just hunks of plastic, but once that's done you have a tool that can really promote mathyness and confidence. And can be adapted to use with almost any math program, since you can just do the problems in a different way. KWIM? Try this. Pull out the rods. Pick an orange rod. Ask your son to stack other blocks in as many different combinations as he can to make the same value. And then have him line up one each of all the rods from smallest to greatest., then greatest to smallest. Lean the units. How many "units" to you need to add to the purple rod to equal a yellow rod, and so on. Play "inequalities" games. Which one is greater yellow or black? Make it "play" and the rewards will be huge. Bill Edited April 21, 2009 by Spy Car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Keeper Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Another vote for Abeka math. Sounds like the K and 1st books would work well for you. My guys also liked using the Cuisenaire rods for fun reinforcement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 I haven't used it, but McRuffy's K color math looks fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 I have tried MUS, Horizons, Abeka, and Cuisenare rods books. I vote for either a combo of Cuisenare rods and Abeka or Miquon (which is what I wish I had used for DD back when she was an enthusiastic math prodigy before MUS killed her joy of learning). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 If you learn how the Cuisenaire Rods can be introduced and used (Miquon and the 3 Miquon teachers books are great for this, but there are other alternatives) I think there is a good chance you'd have a different experience with your son. Once you have the "a ha" moment you can help gently lead the discovery and for understanding qualitative relationships (without counting) the rods are invaluable. And kids can work out "equations" even before they can write. There is a tiny amount of "prep" work a parent need to do so these are not just hunks of plastic, but once that's done you have a tool that can really promote mathyness and confidence. And can be adapted to use with almost any math program, since you can just do the problems in a different way. KWIM? Try this. Pull out the rods. Pick an orange rod. Ask your son to stack other blocks in as many different combinations as he can to make the same value. And then have him line up one each of all the rods from smallest to greatest., then greatest to smallest. Lean the units. How many "units" to you need to add to the purple rod to equal a yellow rod, and so on. Play "inequalities" games. Which one is greater yellow or black? Make it "play" and the rewards will be huge. Bill :iagree: Singapore Early Bird supplemented with Miquon and cuisinaire rods would provide an excellent (and fun) foundation in math concepts. I wish DS11 had learned math this way, I'm now trying to backtrack a bit and give him a better conceptual understanding instead of just a rote/mechanical one. He loved math in 1st grade, but public school textbooks fixed that! DD6 is getting the benefit of hindsight; I am starting her in Miquon and Singapore while she still thinks math is fun! Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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