Summer is right around the corner and the kids will soon be out of school! Just because school is out doesn't mean that the learning stops. Keep your kid's math skills sharp this summer with some fun review activities. They will have such a fun time reviewing those math skills they won't even realize they're learning! Just create your own summer boredom buster kit that your child can access any time they are bored or need something to do.
Have fun reviewing your math skills with this stackable tower of facts. To create, use the wooden block game and cover the edges using fun, colorful washi tape. You can add any type of math facts: addition, subtraction, multiplication or division. Use a sharpie to write a fact like 6 X 9 or 2 + 10 onto each wooden block. Once the blocks are created you are all set to play. Simply stack the blocks and take turns pulling one out at a time. If you answer the block correctly you get to keep it. If you don't, it gets added back onto the top of the game. The person with the most blocks at the end wins the round.
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To create a few fraction puzzles just use some round tropical print coasters. Use a ruler and a pencil to segment them into equal pieces. Depending on your child's age, you could start with halves, fourths, thirds and eighths. After drawing your lines, use a pair of sharp scissors or a box cutter to cut them into fraction pieces. Use a sharpie to write the fraction on the back. You can use these pieces a few ways. Your child can put them together like a puzzle or they can use the fractions to compare and decide which one is greater or less than. They can also use them to find equivalent fractions. Store pieces in a pineapple cup and set them in your math boredom busters tray.
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Take your fractions strips one step further by creating your own fraction strip models. Children love things they can make with their hands and a little modeling clay can take on endless possibilities. Start by using a small plastic knife to cut the modeling clay into halves then fourths. Use another color to try thirds then change that into sixths. When you are done you can use your modeling clay to create a mini pizza, cake or fruit. Children can use their imaginations as they carefully split their creations into equal pieces, naming the fractions as they slice them up.
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Play a quick game of dominoes to review your doubles facts. Try to match your dominoes. As you match them add the numbers up. Help review your doubles facts by matching dominoes end-to-end. For a bigger challenge, grab a domino from your bag and multiply the numbers together. This is a quick and easy way to practice those multiplication facts. If you have a partner to play with you can play addition or multiplication war. Each person grabs a domino from their bag then quickly adds or multiplies the numbers depending on skill level. The person with the largest number wins and keeps the domino. The person with the most dominoes at the end wins!
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For finding a fraction of a whole number, you simply multiply the numerator of the fraction by the given number and then divide the product by the denominator of the fraction. For example, 1/4 of 12 would be 3. You can help your child picture this concept by starting simple. Use the watermelon cutouts to show your child that the watermelon is divided into fourths. Use small fruit erasers to represent your total whole number. Starting with the number 12, have your child equally divide the erasers onto the watermelon cutouts. This helps children visualize how the whole number is divided into fourths.
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Use the watermelon cutouts to create fact family cards. On the back, write the 3 numbers that are in the fact family. For example, the numbers 4, 6, 24 can be used to create multiplication and division problems that are related. Use small fruit erasers to show the multiplication arrays organized by rows and columns. Children will love showing their work with these tiny fruit erasers. This will help them visualize each of their facts, which will lead to easier memorization.
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Fidget spinners are often banned at school, so let your little ones have some fun this summer and spin on! The colorful spinners can be a powerful tool to help your child memorize their multiplication facts. Encourage them to get that spinner spinning on their finger tips and start spouting off their facts. Start easy counting by 2's. While the spinner is spinning you should be counting. If you get to 2x12 and it's still spinning, move on to the 3's. Before you know it you will be spinning and counting along. Grab a friend and have a spin off. Call out the number and start spinning; 3's...3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18. Last one spinning is the winner!
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Spread out and review your math skills with sidewalk chalk. The possibilities are endless here. Draw a clock, a number line, fractions, solve word problems or practice your facts. Instead of practicing your math skills in a notebook or on the computer, just step outside and pick up some chalk. Help review those math skills by writing them on the driveway. You can create a hop scotch game where each box is a different fact or draw some equivalent fractions or geometric shapes. Use the sidewalk sections to create your own math fact board game. Just create a problem to solve. Kids can advance to the next section once the problem has been answered. The opportunities are endless and can be different each day.
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Summer days can sometimes seem endless without school bells or concrete plans. Minutes can easily turn into hours. Help your child master elapsed time by keeping track of what they do. When they start each math activity, have them record the time. When they are done with their math activities have them record their time. Use the interactive elapsed time dry erase board so they can see how many minutes they worked. Have them keep track of their daily minutes on a calendar so they can see how hard they are working all summer long. They can use this elapsed time dry erase board to keep track of all of their summer activities. They can even record the time they spend reading, swimming or playing with friends.
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Keeping things organized all summer long is always a challenge. Make it easy by keeping all of your math games and activities accessible in an easy-to-use tray. The small pieces and puzzles can easily be kept in a pineapple cup. You can have larger objects grouped together on a Tropical Tasseled Tray so your kids always know where to find their math supplies. What a great way to keep those math skills sharp all summer long!
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