Help with School

What about Chutes and Ladders? My kids loved that game and there are numbers on the spinner and 1-100 on the board. I can't think of a specific numbers game off hand, but Discovery Toys generally has wonderful educational games. My boys actually learned to count backwards from the timer on the microwave. Could she help you put something in the microwave and set the timer?

Try the M & M math books for counting. Your school library should have them or you can get them on-line at scholastic books. The books use pictures of colorful M & M's and there are books for counting, addition, multiplication, etc. My youngest daughter was mesmerized by these books and used to count the 100 M & M's in them until she nearly drove us all nuts, but now she is a math whiz, so I guess it paid off! She understands the relationship of numbers much better than my oldest daughter who didn't have access to these books. For writing, I would suggest workbooks or on-line worksheets. Also, get out an apron and you could play restuarant where she is the server and takes your order on a notepad of "2 hamburgers", "3 french fries", etc. Good Luck!

I was going to suggest what Rhonda did, the sand, cool whip, or shaving cream on a table. This worked great for my students when I could tell they needed a different outlet. It even worked with my fifth graders for their spelling words (it also got the desks clean with shaving cream).

For counting, you may want to find simple connect the dot books. You may also want to get attribute bears or a bunch of different types of objects. Let her sort them into the different, like piles and then have her count them out. You may also want to make a simple easy-to-use bar graph so that she can fill it in.

I'm assuming she has already started Kindergarten. Ask the teacher for supplementary materials and suggestions.

Find out what writing style the school is using. There is no point teaching her to make letters and numbers one way and then for her to have to relearn them another way. That will make it even more frustrating for all of you! Most schools are using the D'Nealian or Modern style, where all of the lower case letters have tails on them. Traditional or Zaner-Bloser is the writing style you more than likely learned...sticks and balls. You can go online to find sample alphabets and numbers for her to trace and for you to use as a guide.

I haven't done this, but you could google "teaching numbers counting." I bet you'll find more information than you ever thought.

Good luck!

As a child I remember my mom having fun workbooks for all us kids to do. I have seen them at Walmart in the kids book area, I am sure other stores have them too just not sure where they kept. There is tons of fun counting and alphabet workbooks with stickers, coloring and drawing.

My son is also 5 and he started singing a song in school
really fast
10, 20, 30, ....40, 50, 60...70, 80, 90....100reddddddd....
it really helped him get the concept of the numbers
and then the numbers inbetween fell into place easier.
Good luck

Hi S.,
The only question that came to mind is, "Why does she need to learn how to write and count to 100?" She is ONLY 5! I was a kindergarten teacher, have taught preschool and was a math specialist. Verbal skills, understanding the concept of numbers and writing the numbers are three very different skills. My opinion (take it or leave it) is slow down and enjoy.
Make games out of the concept and verbalization of numbers...counting socks as you fold them, ask her to eat 5 green beans, read tyhe numbers off the clock, sing songs and count on old fingerplays like 5 little monkeys.
Every child learns at a different pace and in a different way. Flashcards are NOT FUN in my mind, but refrigerator magnets would be. Writing my numbers. BORING! But poor some sand or pudding on a tray and let me write the numbers on there? Super cool. :) (As long as you are ok with a mess)
Enjoy your 5 year old. What a great and magical age!

J.

Aboout me: mom of 2 ages 12 and 9. Expecting #3 in March

For the counting, have her count everything, ie: how many cars are on the street, how many piles of food are on her plate, etc.
For the writing, get a paint brush and some paper and have her paint numbers, or you can do the repetive thing and have her write each number over and over, which can get boring and she'll lose intrest.

You might want to try the Kumon workbooks. They sell them at Barnes and Noble. My four-yr old DS loves their maze books, and we will be moving to the number/math workbooks in the near future. Here is a link to one of the number workbooks on Amazon.com. Your DD will love it!
http://www.amazon.com/Number-Games-1-150-Kumon-Workbooks/...
Good luck!

Try using favorite foods...raisins, nuts, M&M's, Cheerio's, etc. At snack time, she can count them out, and then if she can write the number, she can have a treat, or keep track of how many times she writes it, and agree with her on a reward -- movie time, etc.

Try the games of Uno, Trouble, etc. Those will help the counting and recognition of the numbers, be fun, and have time for both of you.

You can also use pennies...as a reward, too, if she writes how many there are and gets it right. :)

We helped my daughter learn by having her write the numbers in a pan with sugar in it. You can just shake the pan and start over again. You could also use salt. The sensory from the texture of the sugaron their finger is suppose to help them remember it easier.

Most teachers use a simple 10x10 grid. Not only do they use this basic format to teach counting but to demonstrate patterns (i.e. "See how all the number going down this column end in a '5'?"

S.,
Have you tried making a game out of it? Most 5 year olds love board games. Make up your own simple game that requires counting or change the rules a bit on her own favorite game so that she has to count in order to move the piece. For example if she can move five spaces then she has to start counting at five and go from there or start counting at 20, etc. Or, you could make a new set of cards to draw from that tell her what number she has to start at and how far she has to count in order to move. When it's your turn, have her "help" you count, too. Good luck!

Hi S.,
My kids always loved playing dice. They roll the dice and count the dots. I taught them addition and subraction this way as well. You can use big dice or small, or even a combination to make the game trickier. When they understand the counting, move on to addition. Roll 3 dice for addition and then subtract with a single di, that's where the big dice and small dice combination helps. Addition works great, but subtraction gets a little tricky at times. You can incorporate writing by keeping the numbers on paper or a chart that they can relate and learn to write the nubers as well. A game example would be Bonko... she or he has to roll 1s, 2s, 3s. etc...(I would use 2 dice for that game instead of 4)

I'm not sure about a game but Kat Vellos has a really fun CD on numbers and counting that is fun to listen and dance to. It might help her well into 2nd grade with multiplication tables, etc... Check her out on Amazon.com

Have you tried spreading sand, cool whip, or maybe shaving cream on the table so she can write in it and you can? Sometimes when is is something different and looks like it could be fun children will be more excited about it and learn at the same time.