KIDS Archives | Math for Grownups

In Math Education

Sharing Awareness with Kids: Bedtime Math

One of the questions I get most often from parents is this: How can I help my kids from being anxious about math like I am? And for a math nerd like me, the answer is pretty simple. I’m unnaturally aware of the math around me. Because of my background and experience — and maybe even the way my brain is wired to see patterns in damned near everything — I can weave math into just about any situation I come across.

(Go ahead, try me. Post a situation in the comments section, and I’ll bring the math. It’s a game I used to play with my daughter, until she got really tired of losing.)

But for most parents, this level of math awareness is just not as simple to access. This is where Laura Bilodeau Overdeck comes in. With degrees in astrophysics and public policy, Overdeck is probably a little like me — finding math in everything and pointing it out to her kids at every turn. But she didn’t just keep this to herself. Nope, she launched Bedtime Math, a really simple idea designed to help parents inject a little math in their kids’ everyday lives.

Each day, she and her crackerjack team send out an email to subscribers (it’s free!) that offers three math questions — one for Wee Ones, one for Little Kids and one for Big Kids — that are centered on a little story or current event. Yesterday, the theme was tongue twisters. On Wednesday, it was hopping.

During Math Awareness Month, Overdeck and her team have introduced a series of mini, math videos. And these things are funny. The first is about ninja training — what kid (or parent) wouldn’t want to find out what happens? Check it out below:

I can’t tell you how much I love Bedtime Math. If you have little kids, give it a shot. You’ll probably learn something too — and you might even raise your awareness of the math around yourself.

Are you a Bedtime Math subscriber already? How do you use it with your kids? What do your kids think about it? Share in the comments section.

In Math Education

More Sneaky Math for Kids: Guest post from Erin Flynn Jay

When you’re balancing work and home and all sorts of other responsibilities, it can be downright overwhelming to consider doing everyday math with them, so they can perform well in school. That’s why I invited author Erin Flynn Jay to guest post on this very topic. Her recently published book, Mastering the Mommy Track, tackles many of the questions all of us working parents have, and today she addresses math.

How do your kids do with their math homework? Is it a struggle to get them to concentrate, or do they have a good handle on calculations?

I grew up watching my mother tutor grammar school kids in math at our home. She was also a substitute math teacher at our local schools when I was in grammar school and high school. Because I am not a math whiz, I asked for her viewpoint on this blog post (she read this and offered a critique).

Kids need examples, which will allow them to understand numbers better.

— Beginning when they are toddlers, help them count their snack food like Cheerios or Goldfish from one to ten. It’s wise to get them counting at the earliest age possible.

— When you take your kids grocery shopping, explain to them what your purchases cost. If they are learning how to add numbers in school, ask them for a total. You could ask them, “Okay we have this corn which is $2, chicken for $8 and lemonade for $2. How much money do I need? What is 2 plus 8 plus 2?”

— Give your kids a weekly or monthly allowance depending on your budget. Take them to the pizza place or movie theater and ask them to pay for their purchase themselves. This way, they can understand the value of a dollar or 50 cents more easily. They can get change back and will get a better grasp of what their favorite items actually cost.

— Finally, teach them how to measure their TV shows in 30 minute intervals. For example, you could say, “Alright, you can watch your show for 15 minutes before bedtime.” When the time is up, let them know 15 minutes has passed and it’s time to pack it in.

One final suggestion is to check with your local librarian or bookstore–get recommendations for age appropriate math books. Read them one math book per night.

When your kids sit down to do their math homework, they will perform better if you have introduced basic math concepts at the preschool age. Repetition will reap results.

Erin Flynn Jay is a writer and publicity expert, with articles appearing in a diverse list of publications, including careerbuilder.com, MSN Careers and Wealth Managers. Order her book Mastering the Mommy Track at Amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com.

Here at Math for Grownups, you’ve gotten a lot of ideas on how to sneak math into your kids’ everyday lives — from reading time to when you’re on the road. What suggestions have you tried? How have they worked out? I’d love to hear about your successes (and yes, failures)!

In Math for Parents

Kids in the Car: Keep ’em busy with math

Whether you’re flying across country or crammed in the mini-van for a trip to Grandma’s house, keeping a kid occupied on a long trip may mean you need a vacation at the end of it. And sure, we can plug them into movies or iPods or video games, but is that really what you want your children to remember about their trip to the Grand Canyon?

Being trapped in a car or plane or train for hours at a time will either kill you or make you stronger, and I’m rooting for stronger. You can look at this as an opportunity to hang out with your kids — and even sneak in a little math.

I know that sounds really, really geeky, but this was a real, live question that a parent asked me over at MSN.com’s Mom’s Homeroom where I’m the resident math expert. Since we’re talking travel this month, I thought I’d expand on the ideas here. The parent asked: “What are some fun math games that I can play with my 10 year old son and 7 year old daughter while on road trips?”

First and Last

This is a take on a game that I used to play with my daughter. She would say a letter, and I would say a word that began with that letter. Then she would identify the last letter of that word, and give me a word that began with that letter. For example: S prompted me to say spaghetti. She would say I and then igloo.

This can easily be adapted to math, which helps kids (and adults) practice their mental computation skills. For example:

First player: 16 + 3

Second player: 19

Second player: 19 – 10

First player: 9

First player: 9 • 3

and so on…

Set the rules of the game so that everyone can play. For example, no negative numbers, fractions or exponents, if your 13 year old is playing with his 8-year-old brother. Or tell them that they can only use even numbers or only addition and division. You might just find that your kids are getting really creative — and making some cool connections. (Did you know that when you add or subtract only even numbers, the answers will always be even?)

Road Sign Math

If you’re in the car, sometimes the only thing to read are road signs and license plates. But if you take a close look, you could find some math in there. In fact, someone has created a cool wiki devoted to this game. Take a look at the sign below.

Do you see the math in there? It’s a very simple addition problem: 2 + 4 = 6.

These can get downright complex! But you can keep it easy for your younger kids. Look out for route numbers, license plates and billboards for more ideas. If you’re used to traveling the same road over and over, this is a particularly good way to pass the time. What’s old becomes new again!

I Spy

This perennial favorite can be adapted to all sorts of situations. For example:

“I spy with my little eye: a prime number!”

“I spy with my little eye: 17!”

I spy with my little eye: a fraction!”

Try this with a boring magazine on the plane. Keep the questions on grade level and offer encouragement for good — or close or creative — answers. Need to remember what a prime number is? If you’re not driving, do a quick search on your smart phone.

There are countless other ideas that can help you pass the time and inject a little math into the trip. Do you have suggestions? Offer them in the comments section!

In Holidays

Last-Minute Mathy Gifts for Kids

Looking for a last-minute gift for your budding Eistein? You’ve come to the right place.

I’m not about to suggest that kids love “educational toys.” But one thing is for sure — kids learn best when they’re having fun.

I’ve gathered a few of my most favorite gift ideas for kids–whether they like math or not. The best part is that these gifts for sale at your local Target, bookstore or toy store, for not much cash.

Games

SET is a sneaky — and honestly fun — way for kids to learn and practice logic and set theory. The object of the game is notice similarities in the cards, each of which has a variety of shapes that differ in number, shape, color and shading. I promise, this is a cool way to spend some time with your kids. (Ages 6 and up)

Yahtzee? Yep. There’s quite a bit of math involved, in fact. Developing a good strategy requires a solid understanding of probability. And being able to quickly spot a full-house, three-of-a-kind or four-of-a-kind involves spacial understanding. Then there’s adding up the scores to find totals. See? Math is all over this game. (Ages 8 and up)

Toys

Kids (and grownups) can create complex and simple mazes and runs in a variety of different marble run toys, some with transparent tubes and others with brightly colored pieces. Where’s the math? First off, kids are playing with their spacial abilities, noticing where the marble goes when the track positions are changed. Then there’s the experience of trial and error — which goes hand in hand with math. (4 years and up)

For the tiny set, you can’t go wrong with shapes. Toys like shape sorters help toddlers and preschoolers learn their shapes. You can extend the learning by encouraging other ways of sorting — like colors. (15 months to 5 years)

Books

David Schwartz writes really wonderful math and science books that don’t smack kids over the head with their educational focus. How Much Is a Million is one of my favorites. Illustrated by Steven Kellog, the book demonstrates how much a million is. (Grownups will probably learn something from this one, too!) (Ages 3 and up)

There’s no sneakier way to tap into a kid’s curiosity about math than with The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster. This classic children’s novel takes readers on a mythical journey of Milo and his “watchdog,” Tock. The book touches on a variety of mathematic topics — from infinity to three-dimensional shapes. Bonus: there’s an equal emphasis on language, including idioms and puns. It’s bound to be a homerun for any young reader. Oh, and 2011 is the 50th anniversary of this classic. (Ages 10 and up)

Do you have any great gift ideas for kids? Share them in the comments section!

In Math Anxiety

Watch Your Language (And Your T-Shirts)

Earlier this year,

This Forever 21 shirt is no longer available. (Thank goodness!)

Forever 21 and J.C. Penny had problems with moms and teen girls, when they retailed their own versions of math-as-gender-warfare–t-shirts that read: Allergic to Algebra and I’m Too Pretty for Homework, So My Brother Does It for Me. Within days, the shirts disappeared from the shelves and their websites.

I wrote a guest blog post about this for Dara Chadwick’s wonderful blog You’d Be So Pretty If, which is devoted to encouraging positive body image in girls.

I was a great high school student. I did well in all of my classes (Okay, so I did fail band that one grading period because I didn’t turn in my practice sheets.). I was a responsible and eager student. But there was one subject that was a challenge for me: French.
I tried. I really did. But for whatever reason, the most romantic of all of the romance languages did not come easy. I had good teachers. I studied. I paid attention in class. But the best I could do was a low B — and that was with a lot of hard work.
Still, I didn’t have a t-shirt that read, “French Phobic.” I’ve never heard of a Barbie doll that says, “French is Hard!”
So what’s the deal with math?
Math is hard. But so is writing, reading, playing an instrument, painting, soccer, woodshop and, yes, French. In fact, if teachers and coaches are doing their jobs, students will feel challenged — which can bring up a variety of other feelings, from frustration to enthusiasm.

You’d Be So Pretty If… by Dara Chadwick.

Read the rest here, and be sure to comment. Also, check our Dara’s wonderful book You’d Be So Pretty If… Anyone who knows a teenage girl should!

So what do you think about these t-shirts? Are they all in fun or bad for girls? Why does math get such a bad rap? Share your ideas in the comments section.

In Home

Food for Thought: 5 Ways Hurried Moms Can Make Math Easy

Boy, do I remember those early days of parenting my daughter. I was working full time, coddling a strong-willed toddler, trying to serve balanced meals, selecting great books to read to her and trying to keep my house and yard clean enough that my neighbors wouldn’t call Child Protective Services on me.

Adding one more thing to the list would have made my head blow off of my shoulders.

And yet, today, we are being asked to do that one more thing: introduce numeracy to our little Janes and Johns. In other words, math.

Want some tips on how parents can develop numeracy in their little kids–and keep their own heads on their shoulders, right where they belong? Read the rest of this post at Words To Eat By, where I guest posted today.

By the way, would you like me to guest post at your blog? Or do you know of a blog that I would fit right in with? I’ve got lots of ideas to share with anyone who will listen! And I promise I’m a good guest. I wipe out the sink after I brush my teeth and don’t mind if the cat sleeps on my pillow. Get the details here.

In Math for Parents

When It Comes to Math, Parents Should Chill

“Math is fun power” Photo courtesy of dtweney.

What’s the one thing most parents have in common? We push our kids. “Eat your veggies.” “Do your homework.” “Unload the dishwasher.” And even though it sounds like nagging, these lessons are the ones that help our kids grow into successful adults.

But when it comes to math, are you doing all that you can to ensure that your child or teen will be successful? Do you even know what those things are? The best advice may actually be surprising.

Turns out, there are a few very simple steps you can take that will make a huge difference in how your child performs in mathematics and perceives his or her math skills.

Are you worried about your child’s math skills? Relax and read the rest of my guest post at Flynn Media.

By the way, would you like me to guest post at your blog? Or do you know of a blog that I would fit right in with? I’ve got lots of ideas to share with anyone who will listen! And I promise I’m a good guest. I wipe out the sink after I brush my teeth and don’t mind if the cat sleeps on my pillow. Get the details here.

In Math for Parents

Virtual book tour: Frisco Kids

Today, I’m visiting Frisco Kids, a blog written by my friend and fellow freelancer, Debbie Abrams Kaplan. She has posted a Q&A with me about Math for Grownups, and as well as my thoughts about kids and math. I hope you’ll visit and even post a comment!

Q&A — Math for Grownups by Laura Laing

By the way, would you like me to guest post at your blog? Or do you know of a blog that I would fit right in with? I’ve got lots of ideas to share with anyone who will listen! And I promise I’m a good guest. I wipe out the sink after I brush my teeth and don’t mind if the cat sleeps on my pillow. Get the details here.

In Math for Parents

Film Friday: Sneaking in some summer learnin’

Okay, so most parents really do understand how to encourage literacy. We read signs, the backs of cereal boxes, the comic section and of course classics like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. But injecting a little everyday math into long summer days can be a bit of a challenge.

Good Morning America to the rescue!

In a regular feature, the morning show brings in a “sneaky teacher” to show parents how to continue learning through July and August. And my good friend and fellow freelance writer, Debbie Abrams Kaplan was featured last week.

It’s a cool video, but unfortunately, I can’t figure out how to embed it. So just click on the picture below to view it. It’s worth the extra step! (Debbie’s kids — and she! — are adorable.)

Happy Friday, ya’ll!

In Math Education

Summer Session: What your rising first grader should know

Math for Grownups blog readers tend to fall into two camps: grownups who are not parents and really hate math (or think they’re not good at it), and parents who are worried that they’re going to pass along their math anxiety to their kids. And so I thought I’d spend a little bit of time addressing some of the concerns of these parents.

Earlier this week, my friend and fellow freelancer, Debbie Abrams Kaplan forwarded the summary of a new bit of research on kids and math. Debbie is the author of two great blogs: Jersey Kids and Frisco Kids, and she figured that I might find some blog fodder from this study.

Boy did I! A couple of things jumped out at me:

No one has ever studied how the basic math skills of first graders affect their later understanding of math throughout elementary school. (Compare that with the many studies of early reading skills, and this fact will blow your mind, too.)
There are three basic skills that will help first graders become good fifth-grade math students.

I’m going to tell you those skills a little later, but first I want to introduce the concept of numeracy. Quite simply, numeracy is the ability to work with and understand numbers. When children are young, numeracy includes the ability to count, recognize the symbols that we use for numbers (which is akin to learning the alphabet), and even do some very simple operations (like 1 + 1 = 2). For high school students, numeracy includes more complex problem solving skills and properties of real numbers.Among math educators, there are big debates about how we can better teach numeracy. I guess this is like the debates about phonics vs. context support methods in reading education. But now that this study is out, it’s clear parents can help lay a firm foundation for our kids’ later success in math. According to this study, published by a team of University of Missouri psychologists, rising first graders should understand:

Numbers — I’m going to take this to mean whole numbers, since most first graders aren’t very familiar with fractions or decimals.
The quantities that these numbers represent — In other words, kids should be able to match a number with that same number of objects (five fingers, two cats, etc.)
Low-level arithmetic — And I’m guessing researchers mean things like adding and subtracting numbers that are smaller than 10 (excepting problems with negative answers).

If you’re like most parents, this is probably a duh moment. What’s so hard about recognizing whole numbers or understanding what five objects are? But I don’t think many parents spend much time emphasizing these ideas — at least not in the way that we commit to reading to our children every night.So here are a few ways that you can help instill numeracy in your pre- or elementary-school aged children.

Count things. Count everything — like the stairs that your climbing or the cars that pass your house or blocks as you take them out of the box or those adorable little toes!
Have your child count things. You can do this in really simple ways. Ask him to get you five spoons so you can set the table. When she wants some goldfish, tell her she can have 10 (and watch her count them). When you’re planning his birthday party, have him tell you which 10 friends he wants to invite. (Write them down for him, so he has something visual to count.)
Notice numbers. When she’s really tiny, ask her to say the numbers that are on your mailbox or on a license plate. Older kids can name multi-digit numbers, like 157 or 81. (And if you want to really be precise and prep your kid for school, don’t say things like “one hundred and fifty-seven. In math, “and” represents a decimal point, which is something most elementary school teachers will really drive home.)
Teach your child to count backwards. This can be a great way for kids to start understanding subtraction. If you know you have 10 steps in your staircase, count backwards as you go down the stairs. Then count frontwards as you go up!
Start adding and subtracting. Give your child 5 raisins and show her how to “count up” to 7 by adding 2 raisins to the pile. Then as your child eats the raisins one by one, “count down” to find out how many are left.

You don’t need to make a big deal about math. And for goodness sakes, skip the worksheets, flashcards and even video games — unless your kid really loves them. Integrate these basic skills into your daily life, and you’ll see your child’s understanding grow. (And you probably won’t feel so stressed out about it all!)What kinds of things do you do with your young elementary-age kids? Any teachers out there want to share their thoughts with the class? Post in the comments section.