My guys love a good worksheet. They really do. I sometimes think that they've decided math just isn't math unless there is a worksheet to fill out. We've been blessed to have found a good math program that works for our guys, Singapore Math.
But sometimes, I just don't want to grade another worksheet. Sometimes, even my guys don't want to look at another page in the math workbook.
On those days, we head to the computer. I believe that kids need to be comfortable on the computer. They need to know how to work one, how to be comfortable with one, and how to be careful and respectful of one. This world is increasingly digital, and every job requires computer skills.
That being said, I also believe that kids should not get in the habit of wasting time on the computer. We limit their use to 30 minutes by themselves per day. If they are sharing, we give them an hour.
There are a gazillion great sites out there for kids and math, but these are some of our favorites:
Sheppard Software Math- Math Man, Monkey Drive, and Fruit Shoot are favorites here. I love that they have different levels and skills for the kids to practice.
www.abcya.com- This site is amazing. It was developed by a technology teacher looking to supplement the almost non-existent software at the school. My kids especially enjoy Math Facts Basketball and Money Bingo. The site is sorted by grade level. Anthony plays at 2-4 grade, and Jerimiah plays at 4-5 grade.
IXL- This is a great site to practice math skills directly on the computer. This isn't really a game site, but it does provide the opportunity for kids to get immediate scoring on their work.
How do you avoid the worksheet?
I feel the same way about the computer. It is hard to do with all the information one can get from the internet. And I definitely don't set a good example. My children love computer games!! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI'm really bad about spending hours on the computer too!
ReplyDeleteWe love both ABCya and IXL. In fact, Brynne spent a bunch of time on ABCya this morning. Another thing we try to work in is "Fun Math" where I try to incorporate some kind of math lesson that has something to do with the unit we are studying.
ReplyDeleteNicole, that is a great idea. We should try that too. :)
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