Wall Ball is currently THE game to play at recess if you are a 2nd grade boy. Or maybe just if you're my 2nd grade boy. It is a welcome change from the Pokemon card trading that was popular at the beginning of the school year. Surprisingly, both wall ball and Pokemon trading can connect to... Continue Reading →
No! Of course not. Well...maybe. It depends. Here was the situation: The 8-year-old, a.k.a the-second-grader, came home with an assignment. He was supposed to read two books by the same author, then DO something of his choosing related to that author. He could make a poster or draw a picture or write a letter or anything... Continue Reading →
This activity is awesome because you can do it with any kid who can color...your 4-year-old or your 14-year-old. Heck, a 44-year-old will love this activity, too. At it's basic level, your child will need to use some logical thinking to complete the activity. At a deeper level, this activity introduces the Four Color Theorem,... Continue Reading →
If I had a dollar for every time I've heard that comment...well, I'd have a pile of dollars, and we could get mathy with it. But if I had a dollar for every time I've heard someone say "I'm not a reading person," I wouldn't have many dollars at all. It is decidedly uncool and socially... Continue Reading →
This activity starts out feeling crafty, and then gets a little unexpected. Prep ahead of time by cutting out long strips of paper. Colored construction paper would probably be best in terms of flexibility and fun. I started with some extra pieces of water color paper that I had lying around. They worked, but were... Continue Reading →
This post is about patience, trust, and discomfort. It's about having patience with your child's learning process and trusting their innate curiosity and unique ways of thinking. And it's about dealing with your (our) own discomfort as parents with not having all the answers and not getting them quickly. The other day I pushed this... Continue Reading →
A few posts ago, I commented on the brilliance of using car time, when your kids are locked down and not going anywhere, to talk about math. Well, bath time is like that, too! While your kid is not locked down (right? right), he is doing something he has to do anyway. Use that time... Continue Reading →
I can't believe I haven't written about board games yet. If there is one and only one thing you do to promote mathematical thinking in your home, make it board games. Start with any board game. Yes, that means you may have to start with Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders. Ugh. My childhood memories of... Continue Reading →
Sometimes math sneaks up on my kids and me while we are playing (like when we made potholders), and sometimes I force it a little. This is a time when I forced it a little. Because who would ever think of making a clock with only 2 or 3 or 5 numbers on it?... Continue Reading →
The 7-year-old caught the norovirus the other day. After a rough night and a weak day following, he stayed home from school today "just to be sure." Which means I had a seemingly healthy child sitting around the house wondering how to occupy himself. A few months ago I bought two weaving loom toys in anticipation of... Continue Reading →
mathy moments 