Another school year, come and gone. Plan ahead for summer, by constructing a holiday calendar with your child. Not only will it teach your kid about the passing of time, but it will build excitement, all summer long!
Here's a fun activity that will have your child teaching you for once, while you find out exactly what she is learning in school.
More activities for math:
Use Algebra to Find the Best-Priced Pizza!
Have you ever wondered whether it’s a good buy to order a mass-produced pizza just because it’s cheap? Here's an activity that uses second-semester algebra to determine which pizza gives you the most bang for your appetite!
Be a Covert Code Breaker!
Who hasn't dreamt of becoming a secret agent - working on clandestine missions and intercepting secret codes? Here's your child's chance to work on her code breaking and writing skills while covertly developing her analytical thinking skills, too!
Chalk it Up! An Outdoor Classification Activity
Classifying and sorting into groups is also a large part of the first grade math curriculum. The outdoors offers an abundance of learning tools for children, and classifying in the natural world gives your child an added lesson in scientific observation and classification.
Sandbox Math Sticks
One of the goals for first graders is to memorize basic addition and subtraction math facts by the end of the year. Practice in the sandbox with this fun outdoor math activity!
Make a Sweet Symmetry Treat
In first grade, students are introduced to many new math concepts, including the concept of symmetry. Here’s a fun way to explore symmetry that will leave your child with a sweet symmetrical treat!
Practice Hula Hoop Times Tables!
If you're finding it painful to get your child to practice math lessons learned throughout the school year and her skills are slipping, try this mental and physical multitasking game to get your child back into the swing of things.
Nuts and Bolts: A Sorting Activity
Does Dad's tool box need to be tidied up? Get your child to help you clean, while sneaking in a little math along the way. Sorting objects by size, color, shape, or function is an important concept in mathematical reasoning, and it's the perfect excuse for a little housekeeping!
Shape Art: Mix Art with Geometry!
Does the idea of taking your child to a museum sound daunting? Is the local art mecca too far away, or not too keen on pint-sized patrons? Create your own museum!
Create a Color Collage
This hands-on art activity will help your child work on her sorting skills, and make a beautiful addition to the refrigerator gallery, too!
Go on a Nature Hunt!
In this simple and social activity, children use size comparison skills to find objects in nature that are “bigger” and “smaller,” “longer" and “shorter." These concepts are not only important for kindergarten math, they also encourage children to become better scientific observers.
