Kids math can be fun.  Here’s a cute idea that my daughter did at school and absolutely loved!  One thing that my daughter’s teachers always do is ask for index cards at the beginning of the school year.  My daughter always has to make her own math flash cards.  She has done this with both multiplication and division.  This has always made it easier for her to remember her facts.  Kids have to concentrate on writing the problem so it seems to sink in better.  I know for myself I have to write things down so that I won’t forget.  We always have to remember that every child is different and what works for one may not work for others.  For this reason I think learning is made so much easier when kids are given a variety of ways to do it.

Another idea that was use  in my daughter’s school was to use learning math facts like a sticker chart for rewards.  The teacher had a paper that had a large bowl of ice cream drawn on it that had a spoon in it and a cherry on top.  On each scoop of ice cream, the spoon, the bowl, and the cherry was a different number to multiply by.  (x1, x2, x3…)  The kids used the flash cards to learn the facts and for example, when they learned the x1 facts they were able to color that scoop that said x1.  The object of this activity was to encourage the kids to want to learn the facts. The kids were given a certain amount of time to complete these facts and at the end there would be a party.  Whatever they had colored was what the child would get.  If you only learned your x1’s and x2’s you would only get the bowl and spoon and so on and so forth.

I thought this was great because you could apply this idea to anything.  An idea would be a pizza night.  The slices and toppings could be where the facts go.  You could add drinks and chips…  Or you could do the same for a trip.  You could make footsteps that lead to Disney world or a skating rink… whatever interests your child.  You can get creative and do it according to what you’d like to plan for your own child.

My daughter LOVED this in school for multiplication and it can be used for other facts like addition, subrtaction, and division.

Have fun…