Math Ideas

Fun ways to practice number operations

• Skip counting is a fun foundation for multiplication. If you have several kids, have them take turns counting by 2s, 3s, 5s, or 10s. As they get better, see how high they can count by numbers like 7 or 12 or higher numbers.
• Story problems can be fun, and they grow naturally out of everyday family life. For example: if you give your child $5 for lunch, first ask him to total up the cost of the items he’s buying. Then ask him to tell you before he makes his purchase how much change he’ll get. (If he can explain how he arrived at his answer you might even let him keep the change!)
• A trip to the store presents learning opportunities at every age. As you’re comparing different brands for the same item, ask your child how much you’d save by buying the lower-priced item.