Learning Math at Home with Manipulatives

Math. Without curriculum. Keep it simple. With some fun manipulatives (also optional), math is done at our house just with mom and kid on a dry erase board. 🎯Play money - Makes everything more fun 🎯Dice - Regular and big numbers 🎯Units - MathUSee ones are a current fave 🎯Counters (love little bears!) We do math without a real curriculum until upper elementary. Sometimes It’s online worksheets I know they’re ready for. Sometimes computer math with Clever Dragons. But “Mom Math” is the best. Then I start weening them into Saxon slowly. Think of it as a math talk. 🎲Write a big number. (Or roll) 🎲Show me what digit in the tens or ten million. 🎲Put in commas. 🎲Read it out loud - writing the words is the next step! 🎲Add or subtract another big number. 🎲Round it to the nearest ____ Or… 💵Make up a word problem about money. 💵Count it out in money. 💵Write it down. 💵Subtract how much you “bought” at the store. 💵Practice borrowing with unit blocks if needed. 💵Check your math by adding it back. 💵Count the change back into your hand- life skills right there. I hope this helps you think outside the curriculum with your littles. Put down the scary worksheets that you want their tiny hands to hold. Make it fun. Let them enjoy math! 😉Save this for next time the curriculum sale looks tempting. And go play. And once again, check out @jo.boaler who changed how I view math. ❤️