Summer is approaching and you want your children to practice their math over the summer break. As you look around find some possibilities, however, you do not know exactly how to go about it. Here are some math games you can play at home with children over the summer. Some games use math websites, others use board games, ball game math, and simply using food.
Interactive Math Websites
The first fun way is through the use of an online computer program using virtual manipulatives by Utah State University. Their website is Virtual Manipulatives and is designed to engage children. They have interactive games for all math concept areas in grades K through 8 to allow children to apply critical thinking and problem solving skills. A one example virtual manipulative game is called:
- Circle 21 Puzzle: the goal of the puzzle is to place 3 numbers in a circle so the sum is 21. However there are 7 circles and each circle overlaps 2 other circles. Your child will have to consider how each number added to a circle impacts the sum in an adjoining circle.
This interactive activity teaches children problem solving skills and connections to real world situations.
Children love to play anything on the computer and it can become as family event. Family teams work together attempting to solve some of the more challenging problems. The key for this website is that every game involves:
- Interactivity
- Challenging
- Requires thinking
- Solving problems
Math Games
Another fun activity is playing board games with children. Yes, they are using math skills. Children have to apply problem solving skills, basic arithmetic computations, reasoning, and probability to determine what their next step will be no matter how simple or complex the board game. Good board games to play are Yahtzee and Monopoly.
Math Games and Food
Another math game you can play at home with children evolves eating food. Combining the use of food is another strategy for learning basic math skills. For example:
- Skittles are always good because they come in a variety of colors, as do M&Ms.
- Healthy foods such as apples, grapes, orange slices, crackers, different types of cheeses, etc
These foods can be used as manipulatives to replace numbers in a math problem. As children practice their math skills, they get to eat their math. Math associated with these problems include:
- Fractions, percents, and ratios
- Shapes: 2 and 3 dimensional
- Basics: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
- Problem solving
- Algebra: variables
- Measurement: standards and non standard units of measure
Math and Ball Games
Another fun way to practice subtraction is to play baseball math. Baseball and softball involve lots of math for children to think about when they are at a game. For example math involving pitchers includes:
- Number of strike outs
- Number of walks
- Hits given up
- Earned runs given up
- Innings pitched
- Number of pitches in a game
Other math related to professional ball games is calculating the dimensions of the field, such as:
- Distance from one base to another is 90 feet
- Pitcher’s mound is 60 feet from home plate
- Distance from home plate to left field is 342 feet (varies for every ball field)
- Number of baseballs used in the average baseball game is about 60
You can let your children compare their ball field's dimensions with dimensions of professional ball fields.
David R. Wetzel - Dr. David Wetzel's experience includes more than 25 years in continuing, adult, and teacher education.
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