Give Your Child a Summer Math Brain Workout

Most young children enjoy using technology to to practice math skills, learn math facts and/or to explore math enrichment challenges. Using the computer seems to be motivating to different children for a variety of reasons compared to using the more traditional drill and practice methods in school. Children who have experienced frustration with math and/or who are behind their classmates are usually motivated to do math work when using the computer to practice the same skill work is an option. In my tutoring practice, I have met many children who tell me that they “hate” timed math drills. Some children are very successful with the traditional methods used in schools, yet other children find math skill practice frustrating and the thought of practicing math facts “painful”.

It could be the novelty of using a different method to learn, or the appeal of the fun colorful images and animations, or the interactive nature of web-based computer games. Perhaps the ease of typing or clicking an answer rather than using handwriting skills or the instant feedback that is motivating to children.

Age and grade appropriate online math worksheets, interactive games and virtual manipulatives can add interest and fun to summer math goals. There are many good learning sites to choose from. Below are a several sites with a variety of learning options to check out.

Explore an online math playground to practice basic math operations, money, geometry, and more!

http://www.mathplayground.com/index.html

Give your brain a workout here!

http://www.mathplayground.com/games.htm

Houghton Mifflin site for all ages/grades. Take tests after each chapter/unit study.

http://www.eduplace.com/kids/mhm/index.html

Math Enrichment – This is a good place to find challenges for kids who like to solve number problems

http://www.hawebmedia.com/activites/enrichment/index.html

Kids Numbers – Basic math, lots of fun choices

http://www.kidsnumbers.com/

Another fun learning site:

www.coolmath.com

Make Math Worksheets – Create your own worksheets. You decide the skill level and number of problems.

http://www.aplusmath.com/Worksheets/index.html

If you wish to print thematic summer math pages, check out this link:

http://www.kidzone.ws/math/summer/index.htm

Planning and monitoring your child’s computer time and progress is recommended.

Some of the best learning sites are interesting and motivating to children while including skill practice, however some of the built in links and choices are more entertaining than educational. Parents and children who decide to use technology to help practice and achieve learning goals should spend time exploring learning links together and come up with guidelines for choices that meet your agreed on learning goals. Monitoring your child’s choices and use of time on Internet learning sites will help assure that he/she benefits from the time he/she uses technology to meet learning his/her goal(s). This is also a good way for parents to connect with their children while monitoring and observing his/her progress.

Online math tutoring could be a great way to keep your child's math skills honed over the summer break.