Making math fun

I don't remember ever thinking math was fun. I'm not even sure why. It could merely be because words have always meant more to me. But I hope that my children appreciate both words and numbers.

As I study various schooling theories, I'm gathering ideas for ways to make math fun.

Recently, we've started playing with the abacus I picked up at the MHA Curriculum Sale, as well as the Think and Blink Numbers & Shapes flashcards.

The abacus is great for seeing numerical patterns, as well as counting. I've even thrown in a little subtraction! The Toddler also finds this tool fascinating.

Since summer, The Girl has loved flashcards, and these ones shift before your eyes! Surprisingly, she also likes the back side, the one that is plain with just a numeral and the corresponding number of items such as balls. Following some ideas from a Montessori activity book ("Teach Me To Do It Myself: Montessori Activities For You And Your Child" by Maja Pitamic), I've been asking her to give me the names of the number first while they are in numerical order. Then we take them out of order and we see if she can still name them correctly. (This is a little basic for her at age 5, but I wanted to make sure she had the fundamentals down.) Next it was time to give her the cards in their out-of-ordered state, and ask her to place them in order. I like how the activity is hands-on. I also appreciate how the cards include the corresponding number of images on both sides, a number spelled out, and the numeral. Perhaps most of all, I was thrilled at how much she enjoyed the game.

She thinks math is fun.