Homeschoolers, Make Math Facts Fun!

I’m pleased to introduce this post by Colleen at Homeschooling Coach.

Learning math facts can be boring and tedious. Here are a few ways that you can make learning them more interesting in your home school. Trying these ideas might motivate your children to memorize those facts instead of counting!

• Teach fact family trees. For example, one fact family tree is 2,3,5. 2+3=5, 3+2=5, 5-3=2, 5-2=3. It also works for multiplication and division – 2,3,6. 2×3=6, 3×2=6, 6÷2=3, 6÷3=2. Remembering three numbers is an easy way to memorize the basic facts. Also have your child write the equations on trees with the three numbers written on top.

• Practice addition facts by playing dice games. Create a game board and game pieces. Roll the dice and add the two numbers together. Move that many spaces forward on the board. Another way to practice addition facts is to play. It is played just like “Go Fish” except you add two numbers whose sum is 10.

• Practice multiplication facts by playing “Circles and Stars”. Roll a die. Draw that many circles. Roll the die again. Draw that many stars in each circle. Write the equation that your picture represents.

Have fun learning basic math facts by making a few simple changes in your homeschool curriculum.

Colleen Felz is the Homeschooling Coach. Visit her blog, Homeschooling Coach, to read about the joys & trials of home education as well as find tips, recommendations, & curriculum ideas. Also visit her mommy blog, Living as a mom, to read about the life of a Christian mom living the life.