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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.
In this bus-themed board game, children practice counting, addition, and subtraction skills. The objective of the game is to drive your double-decker bus through “town”, or around the game board, trying to pick up as many passengers as you can. However, there is some strategy involved…
In this bus-themed board game, children practice counting, addition, and subtraction skills. The objective of the game is to drive your double-decker bus through “town”, or around the game board, trying to pick up as many passengers as you can. However, there is some strategy involved! On each turn, the player rolls two dice (one white and one red). The player chooses to move their bus the number of spaces on the die of their choice. Each space a player can move to has either a plus sign or a minus sign on it. Depending on the space the player lands on, they then add or subtract the number of passengers on their bus based on the second die. So for example, if you roll a red 3 and a white 6, you may see that if you go 6 spaces ahead you will land on a minus sign, but if you go 3 spaces ahead you will land on a plus sign. And so, you decide to go 3 spaces forward based on your red die and then since you landed on a plus sign, you get to add 6 passengers based on your second, or white, die. Each bus can seat a total of ten passengers and the bus with the most passengers once everyone gets around the board, wins!
In this counting board game, children pick pretend fruit from trees on the board to fill up their buckets. With each turn, the player spins the spinner, which tells them how many pieces of fruit to pick or to put back, giving them practice with counting up, but also serving as an introduction to subtraction, or “taking away”. The first to fill their basket …
In this counting board game, children pick pretend fruit from trees on the board to fill up their buckets. With each turn, the player spins the spinner, which tells them how many pieces of fruit to pick or to put back, giving them practice with counting up, but also serving as an introduction to subtraction, or “taking away”. The first to fill their basket with their pretend cherries, blueberries, apples, or oranges wins! Small children enjoy this game, and playing with the little fruits offers extra incentive to get in the extra math practice (as well as some fine motor skill practice), though it does require some set-up time with all of the different fruits.
This book from the founder of Bedtime Math (www.bedtimemath.org) answers math questions covering a multitude of topics. It is quite helpful that the questions are organized by general topics: animals, nature, food, everyday life, Earth and space, and mental math. Some questions answered include: the number of bees needed to make a jar of honey, how fast the fastest growing tree on Earth actually grows…
This book from the founder of Bedtime Math (www.bedtimemath.org) answers math questions covering a multitude of topics. It is quite helpful that the questions are organized by general topics: animals, nature, food, everyday life, Earth and space, and mental math. Some questions answered include: the number of bees needed to make a jar of honey, how fast the fastest growing tree on Earth actually grows, how many gallons of water are needed to put out a fire, and how many soccer balls would fit inside Earth. All of the math is broken down, with explanations for where those numbers came from, so it is all easy to understand. Have your child come up with their own questions and try to answer them (perhaps with some research help from you).
Charlie and Lola are getting ready to head to the store with their mom, where they will get to pick out one thing for themselves. As the two of them are getting ready, walking to the store, picking out their special treats, and walking home they encounter math all along the way. Lola is nine minutes late getting ready, the two of them count objects like ladybugs and steps, and Lola gives away her stickers as she heads home…
Charlie and Lola are getting ready to head to the store with their mom, where they will get to pick out one thing for themselves. As the two of them are getting ready, walking to the store, picking out their special treats, and walking home they encounter math all along the way. Lola is nine minutes late getting ready, the two of them count objects like ladybugs and steps, and Lola gives away her stickers as she heads home. The two of them use addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, place value, and counting throughout the day. A bit of humor is injected as well, as Charlie often needs to correct Lola in all of this math, in a very big sister kind of way. The illustrations are fun and lively, with equations matching the math they are doing on the pages.
This Halloween-themed book helps to teach the concept of a missing mystery number, or variable, and how to solve these algebraic problems. The book starts out simple, giving a foundational understanding of equations and what the equals sign means, as well as defining variables, while supporting all of this through the pictures…
This Halloween-themed book helps to teach the concept of a missing mystery number, or variable, and how to solve these algebraic problems. The book starts out simple, giving a foundational understanding of equations and what the equals sign means, as well as defining variables, while supporting all of this through the pictures. But once the book reaches the point of using each operation to solve instead of a picture to solve, this can be confusing for anyone new to algebra concepts. This is because, at this point in the book, it becomes more rules-based rather than based on conceptual understanding. For example, the book states that what you do to one side of the equation, you must do to the other side, so if you divide by 4 on one side, you must divide by 4 on the other side. This all makes sense to someone who has spent some time with “balancing” equations in class or at home, but to a child that has not yet encountered this idea, this could be overwhelming. I highly recommend using some kind of manipulatives, like Hands-On Equations or something similar, to help your child visualize what is going on and why these algebra rules work.
These easy to use manipulatives simplify algebraic concepts for kids. You use the balance along with various game pieces to represent and then solve algebraic equations. Using the balance helps reinforce kids’ understanding of the equals sign meaning “same as”, as well as helps them understand what they are doing on paper to “balance” the equations and solve for the variable…
These easy to use manipulatives simplify algebraic concepts for kids. You use the balance along with various game pieces to represent and then solve algebraic equations. Using the balance helps reinforce kids’ understanding of the equals sign meaning “same as”, as well as helps them understand what they are doing on paper to “balance” the equations and solve for the variable. We use this program at my own school starting in the 4th grade, so I have seen just how effective using this set can be. This is a fantastic way to help children build their conceptual understanding of variables and basic algebra; I wish we had this when I was first learning these concepts!
Buy It Right helps to reinforce money skills—money recognition, adding, and making change. Players set prices and buy and sell items as they move around the game board. And with three levels of play, this game is great for multiple age levels. Players can opt to play with only the paper bills (level 1), only the coins (level 2), or both bills and coins (level 3)…
Buy It Right helps to reinforce money skills—money recognition, adding, and making change. Players set prices and buy and sell items as they move around the game board. And with three levels of play, this game is great for multiple age levels. Players can opt to play with only the paper bills (level 1), only the coins (level 2), or both bills and coins (level 3). At levels 2 and 3, multiple dice are used, adding an extra layer of complexity with understanding place value. Players at these levels must decide in what order they want to place the amounts from the dice (ex: if they roll a 2 and a 6, do they want to make 26 cents or 62 cents). This can change depending on if they are rolling an amount that they have to pay and want to make the smallest amount possible or if they are rolling an amount that will determine how much they are to be paid and they want to make the largest amount. All of the coins and bills are accurate to size, though the coins are a little darker in color. Overall, this is a great game for learning about using money!
Use the weekly advertising circulars you get in the mail to help your child practice using decimals in arithmetic. Let them choose their favorite products and identify their prices then challenge them with different tasks using each of the operations.
Use the weekly advertising circulars you get in the mail to help your child practice using decimals in arithmetic. Let them choose their favorite products and identify their prices then challenge them with different tasks using each of the operations. This activity is a great way to push your child just a bit at a time, seeing how they do on one task to determine if they are ready for the next challenge you have ready for them.
Use restaurant menus to help your child practice working with money and decimals. Have fun role-playing as waiters and customers!
Use restaurant menus to help your child practice working with money and decimals. Have fun taking turns role-playing as waiters and customers! Switch off roles to practice taking orders and processing and paying the check.
Creating a lemonade stand is a great introduction to business for your child. It involves working with money, adding up costs and income, and determining profit.
Creating a lemonade stand is a great introduction to business for your child. It involves working with money, adding up costs and income, and determining profit. With each refreshing drink poured, your child will be practicing math skills necessary to building a successful venture.
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