Categories: Parenting

10 Free Easy Ways to Practice Math Facts Skills

As a teacher, one of biggest worries was that students would forget their math facts over the summer. Students get very anxious for fall, when they fear that they will forget or not be ready for the next grade. It’s difficult to regiment kids on vacation. As a parent and home-schooler, I made sure we practiced our math facts regularly so that all the progress made over the school year would not be lost.

Here are 10 easy, fast and free ways to practice the addition, subtraction, multiplication or division facts. Kids can practice anywhere and anytime that they have a few moments. They should spend no more than 5-10 minutes at a time on math facts. 4-5 times a week of practice is a good goal to shoot for. As a parent you can help, but kids should practice independently as well.

First, assemble some basic materials into a plastic box. In the box you can keep any combination or all of these items which are used to review math facts. I have described how to use next to each practice tool.

—color coded list of numbers; choose a color for each digit 0-9. (for example: 0-yellow, 1-blue, 2-red, 3-orange, 4-purple, 5-green, 6-brown, 7-pink, 8-black, 9-gray) Color helps many students remember. Color coding is a useful way to learn place values.
—a set of dice (2) alone of with a partner, the student throws the dice and adds or multiplies the two numbers
—a set of dominoes (base 12 set is best) or
—a set of index cards drawn to look like dominoes; remember to write domino configuration in the color of that number. Student selects a domino and adds, subtracts or multiplies the two numbers. Write answers on the back of each.
—a pack of playing cardsstudent chooses two cards and adds, subtracts, or multiplies them. Face cards are valued as such:(ace-1, jack-10, queen, 12 and king-0)
—a set of flashcards for the level she’s on. Flashcards can be purchased at any discount store. School Zone is an inexpensive brand. You can make your own by writing the math fact on one side and the answer on the back. Remember your color code.
—a pencil, eraser and a pad of paper: Student writes out a fact family, or draws some math facts with real items. You can give her pop quizzes also.
—a tablet with little stickers. Student makes his own flashcards for the operation he is working on, using stickers and index cards or paper or cardboard scraps.
—a 100’s chart or cheat sheet (see link to print one) Student can use it to count by different numbers (multiply), look for patterns, or practice facts.
—a string with 100 little plastic beads strung on it. This is a hands on way to count by different numbers. give student a problem and ask her to count it out. (7×8– she counts out seven groups of eight).
—any snack with little pieces; fish crackers, cereal pieces, raisins, candies, pretzels; Student makes math facts with snack as she eats them.

This box can be kept in the car or at home, depending upon where he will practice most. The car is ideal place. Even a quick car trip gives that 5-10 minutes of ’empty time’ that is perfect for review.

Don’t forget a little reward, too. Your child can work towards a trip for ice cream, a book, a new little car. Keep the reward simple and manageable. Don’t give a $30 prize for one week of practice, but don’t make them wait all summer for something small either. I reward once a week.

With these tips your budding mathematician can blossom into a master memorizer!