Hi
Does anyone have any good ideas about how to instill a love of math in a preschooler and first grader? My first grader is struggling with math. I thought if I could try to instil a love of it in him it might make him more interested in trying. Any suggestions, such as games we could play or anything like that?
Hi there. My dd was in first grade last year, and math was a disaster! She even went to summer school for math. But she says she loves it. I'm not sure why. She seems to be doing much better this year. I would say get him a math computer game that is super easy, maybe even for preschoolers. That will help build his confidence. In general, just have really easy games that he can succeed at, even if they're for younger children. We all learn at different rates!I could go on at length about how our country totally ignores what is developmentally appropriate for children when designing curricullum, but I'll try to be brief.
Not all children in 1st grade can grasp the abstract math concepts that are presented to them. Even if they're using pictures on the paper to count it may not be concrete enough for them. I was furious when my child started getting math worksheets at the end of kindergarten. Kids with ADHD tend to mature more slowly and therefore it takes them even longer to really grasp these concepts.
That being said, try to make sure he has constant access to manipulatives while doing math at school. Building with blocks can teach patterns, symmetry, spatial skills and much more. Compare objects in daily life- who has more food on their plate at dinner, who had less- if you have 10 peas and eat five, how many are left to feed to the dog?
My son also loved that pbs show Cyberchase when he was that age, but I don't know if it's on anymore.