Complete Resource List
Search Recommended Math Resources
Search Recommended Math Resources
Use the search filters below to return results. Keep an eye out for some of my top favorites-- my "BookSmart Picks"-- that are sure to entertain and educate your kids! And, many activities use common materials you likely have at home already. Look for entries marked with the "Common Items" icon to find activities that shouldn't require any purchase.
At 12 years old, Claudia is the oldest child in her family and feels woefully unappreciated at home. She decides to leave, but does not want to simply run away, and instead decides to run to someplace, choosing the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City as her temporary home. She brings along one of her brothers, Jamie, as an accomplice…
At 12 years old, Claudia is the oldest child in her family and feels woefully unappreciated at home. She decides to leave, but does not want to simply run away, and instead decides to run to someplace, choosing the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City as her temporary home. She brings along one of her brothers, Jamie, as an accomplice and to help with money during the excursion. Once at the museum, they find themselves amidst a great art mystery surrounding a newly-acquired statue. Determined to find answers, Claudia and Jamie go on a quest to discover the source of the statue, and also learn a bit about themselves in the process. The math in this book involves not only puzzling through clues and making deductions, but also in budgeting money. Throughout the book, Claudia and Jamie must keep track of their money, determine what to spend money on, and even acquire more money (via their baths in the fountain!). Have your child keep track of their spending, as well as discuss inflation and how prices have changed from 1967 until now. What might their adventure cost now?
Mancala is a game that is thousands of years old and has been played in various ways in countries all around the world. It is a simple enough game to provide extra practice with counting, but offers enough strategy and combinations to keep older kids interested in playing. And, it is quite simple to create your own…
Mancala is a game that is thousands of years old and has been played in various ways in countries all around the world. It is a simple enough game to provide extra practice with counting, but offers enough strategy and combinations to keep older kids interested in playing. And, it is quite simple to create your own game board!
This card game is great for building your child’s strategic thinking skills and flexibility. Since much of it is based on luck of the draw, plans must change quickly if they want to win..
This card game is great for building your child’s strategic thinking skills and flexibility. Since much of it is based on luck of the draw, plans must change quickly if they want to win!
Morph the most discs to win! Move the ball from disc to disc, but only change one attribute at a time, whether it is the color, the pattern, or the size of the center circle. Each player’s turn continues, collecting the discs as they go, until there are no more possibilities on the board. And with 60 discs in the game…
Morph the most discs to win! Move the ball from disc to disc, but only change one attribute at a time, whether it is the color, the pattern, or the size of the center circle. Each player’s turn continues, collecting the discs as they go, until there are no more possibilities on the board. And with 60 discs in the game, there are plenty to replenish the board between turns. While the rules are simple, this game tests pattern recognition, planning, and logic skills, along with strategic thinking.
Another great product from MindWare, this logic and strategy toy includes 50 challenges, increasing in difficulty. Choose a puzzle card and place the tiles on the board so that the marbles land at the correct targets at the bottom. As the puzzles become more difficult, the cards include fewer tiles to get you started…
Another great product from MindWare, this logic and strategy toy includes 50 challenges, increasing in difficulty. Choose a puzzle card and place the tiles on the board so that the marbles land at the correct targets at the bottom. As the puzzles become more difficult, the cards include fewer tiles to get you started. Players use their problem solving and spatial reasoning skills to take on each challenge. The game pieces are of great quality, so this game will stand up over time as your child moves through the puzzles.
This puzzle, which includes ten tiles, challenges you to connect the tiles in order to build loops of different shapes and colors. With many different solutions, Tantrix can provide hours of experimentation and creativity…
This puzzle, which includes ten tiles, challenges you to connect the tiles in order to build loops of different shapes and colors. With many different solutions, Tantrix can provide hours of experimentation and creativity. The tiles are light in weight, but of high quality, so they are quite durable and will hold up very well through puzzle after puzzle. And since they are small in size, they can travel with ease. Tantrix is a great go-to for a rainy afternoon at home, or for early finishers in a classroom.
In this logic and spatial reasoning game, you must tackle the challenge cards to get the marble through the maze. There are 60 challenges in total, ranging from beginner level to expert; also included are a game grid, nine towers, one target piece, and three marbles. The toy not only builds logic and reasoning skills, but also planning skills as children take on each challenge…
In this logic and spatial reasoning game, you must tackle the challenge cards to get the marble through the maze. There are 60 challenges in total, ranging from beginner level to expert; also included are a game grid, nine towers, one target piece, and three marbles. The toy not only builds logic and reasoning skills, but also planning skills as children take on each challenge. And with a range of puzzles to try, it covers a large age range.
IQ Fit is a great way to challenge kids while building spatial reasoning skills and flexible thinking. The object is to rotate the colored pieces to fit on the board and match the challenge shown in the accompanying booklet. With 120 different puzzles, ranging from easy to expert level, this toy is great for kids of many ages. Making it even trickier is that each piece is three-dimensional and can be used in different ways…
IQ Fit is a great way to challenge kids while building spatial reasoning skills and flexible thinking. The object is to rotate the colored pieces to fit on the board and match the challenge shown in the accompanying booklet. With 120 different puzzles, ranging from easy to expert level, this toy is great for kids of many ages. Making it even trickier is that each piece is three-dimensional and can be used in different ways, forcing your child to think about which way to use the piece to solve the puzzle. It is especially good for travel, as it comes in a compact case with a lid. Other similar SmartGames include IQ Stars, IQ Focus, IQ Link, and IQ Twist, which also come in convenient compact case
Melia is a determined inventor, always trying to improve upon her inventions. Jo is her new neighbor who loves singing, dancing, painting, and designing. At first when Jo comes by she seems to only interfere with Melia’s work, frustrating Melia. But then Melia sees that Jo is also solving problems and improving her inventions, just in her own way…
Melia is a determined inventor, always trying to improve upon her inventions. Jo is her new neighbor who loves singing, dancing, painting, and designing. At first when Jo comes by she seems to only interfere with Melia’s work, frustrating Melia. But then Melia sees that Jo is also solving problems and improving her inventions, just in her own way. They both grow to see the value in approaching problems in different ways, and decide to work together on projects they both enjoy, creating a solid friendship along the way. In the back there are even instructions on creating one of Melia and Jo’s projects. This STEAM book is a great way not just to introduce STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math), but also to encourage perseverance, collaboration, and looking for solutions in different ways and from different angles.
In Blokus, players take turns placing their pieces on the board (in red, blue, green, and yellow), but each piece must touch another of the same color, only at the corners. Players must try to place as many of their own pieces on the board as possible while also strategically blocking their opponents…
In Blokus, players take turns placing their pieces on the board (in red, blue, green, and yellow), but each piece must touch another of the same color, only at the corners. Players must try to place as many of their own pieces on the board as possible while also strategically blocking their opponents. The game ends when no more plays can be made by anyone, and the player with the lowest number of remaining pieces wins the game. This fast-paced game of strategy keeps minds sharp!
Copyright © BookSmart Math