Elf on the Shelf Learning Fun for Math and Reading
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Elf on the Shelf Learning Fun for Math and Reading

Elf on the Shelf is one of those things that a lot of people love to hate.  And a lot of people hate to love.  We’re not doing the Elf at this point but I really enjoy seeing what mischief other elves get into.  I’ve gotta say, some of you are really really creative with…

Christmas Tree Addition Mazes for Fun Addition Practice
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Christmas Tree Addition Mazes for Fun Addition Practice

Christmas time means busy, busy, busy – right?  Is it just me?  We don’t even start shopping for presents until later in the month but we are just busy.  There are so many events and exciting things in December.  We always end up slacking off school a bit in December and we do “Christmas school”…

Christmas Addition Mats (and Subtraction too!)
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Christmas Addition Mats (and Subtraction too!)

We love making math hands on and the counting mats have been such a hit!  Now that we’re working with larger numbers, I wanted to make a version of the counting mats with two 10-frames!  We need to practice counting all the way to 20!  And thus, the addition mats were made.  They can also…

Missing Addend Addition with LEGO
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Missing Addend Addition with LEGO

We hit a wall in math.  It happens – walls, I mean.  There are some subjects that you just hit a wall (mine was chemistry in school).  But what I’ve learned since becoming a homeschooler, is that there are ways around every wall.  Up, down, around, through – there are many many ways to break…

Christmas Find and Dot the Sums
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Christmas Find and Dot the Sums

Do you ever take a break to focus on one subject? We’re taken a break right now to focus on memorizing math facts.  It’s been something we’ve worked on but right now we are focused on that.  The holidays tend to mean less learning anyhow, so I thought I’d make a more manageable goal for…

Free Thanksgiving Addition Game – Turkey Trot Addition
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Free Thanksgiving Addition Game – Turkey Trot Addition

We have a tradition on Thanksgiving where I print out activities (like this Thanksgiving Addition Game) and the boys have something to entertain them for that hectic 15 minutes while we are finishing the food and putting it on the table.  The challenge for me is to create something that is entertaining enough that they…

Turkey Number Line for Hands on Addition Fun
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Turkey Number Line for Hands on Addition Fun

I am excited for Thanksgiving this year.  Honestly, holidays can be really hard for me, as they are for many people.  I’ve found that by focusing on the kids and new traditions, the holidays seem easier.  They are so full of wonder at this age and I find it easy to get enraptured in their…

Transportation Counting Mats with Addition and Subtraction
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Transportation Counting Mats with Addition and Subtraction

What do you do when you want to get your young kids excited about math?  You find a theme that resonates with them and find a way to incorporate math into that theme!  Last week we did dinosaurs, which was wildly popular at my house.  Transportation themes come in a close second.  And I just…

No Prep Addition Booklets for Interactive Math Practice
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No Prep Addition Booklets for Interactive Math Practice

What do you do for kids that are having trouble memorizing their math facts?  All of my boys are working on memorizing some facts and without motivation, it just seems like slow going.  We play games, watch math shows, and even do bedtime math. Sometimes though, I need something that I can just hand over…

Doubles Addition Game – Frankenstein Addition Practice
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Doubles Addition Game – Frankenstein Addition Practice

You want them to memorize their addition facts and they want to play. Just imagine if there was a way to do both. Ah but there is!  Making addition fact practice a game can entice them to play and learn longer!  We’ve done our fair share of addition games (St. Patricks Day Make 10, Finding Dory,…

Spooky Spider Counting Mats for Math Practice
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Spooky Spider Counting Mats for Math Practice

Spiders creep me out.  I don’t like them and would just assume never ever see them.  However, they do eat mosquitoes for which I am eternally grateful.  It’s a conflicting relationship.  But the boys are still into creep crawly stuff so I oblige.  We actually went to a bug festival a few weekends ago which…

LEGO Number Line Addition Practice
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LEGO Number Line Addition Practice

I’m always searching for ideas to get my kids interested in practicing math.  To be honest, 99% of the time that’s a computer game.  I’ll take what I can get though!  Since starting the LEGO math challenge, we are getting a lot more practice offline too.  Phew! So don’t miss the rest of our LEGO Math…