Making Math Count for Youngsters

  Life is like a math equation. In order to gain the most, you have to know how to convert negatives into positives—unknown

   

 Families can use everyday activities to help children prepare for math in school and have a life- long awareness, understanding, skill and good attitude toward numbers and problem solving with numbers.  Here are a few family activities to begin.

Grocery Store Math

   Grocery shopping is an ideal place to use math skills.  Young children can look through grocery ads and learn to read the numbers. They can look for prices of fruits, vegetables nutrition bars, yogurt, and other things they like to eat. Point out money signs in the store. You can play grocery store often at home with real or plastic food and play money. Take turns being the cashier.

  Review numbers while choosing groceries looking at prices of apples to reinforce decimals and compare cost of items. While many items no longer have individual sticker prices, there are often signs for sale prices.

   With older children you can teach them to round off numbers and add or multiply. For example, your child can round up to $3.00 and figure out about how much two cartons would be.  Talk about how we arrived at that number. Point out how the estimate differs from the true cost. Estimation is very useful in life.

 Cooking math 

  The kitchen is a great place to practice math, as long as, there's an adult around to supervise. Half and double recipes.  Drop dough 5x7 on a cookie sheet.  What is the total?  Count how many pepperonis are on the pizza?  If there are three people in your family divide nine strawberries equally among them. How many strawberries will each person receive?

Mapping

  Show children how to use all the forms of on-line Google maps directions, and Google earth. Tap on street view to find their house. Tap on the search icon, navigator wheel and others to explore from your kitchen table. You can even plan local road trips to find water falls or look at the depth of the Great Lakes shoreline. Search for free National Geographic geography games for kids. Paper maps work, too.

 Change up

   Teach children to recognize the value of coins early. They can start a penny collection and read the dates on the coins. They can use pennies to count by ones, nickels to count by fives, and dimes to count by tens. Four quarters equal a dollar. Do a little at a time.

  Put a piece of fruit on the table and teach to count out the price of 45 cents.  Start counting with pennies.  When they are ready use other coins.

More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Photos, Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

Sketches: Mark Nowicki

Economics for Kids Pays Dividends

 The best way to teach your kids about taxes is to eat one third of their ice cream cone .—Bill Murray

Teaching Economics Is Essential - Walk Them Through!

Teaching economics doesn’t need to be disgusting, but it is essential. Here are a few suggestions for teaching your children about making, managing, keeping, and making money work for them.  

Be Concrete

  Help children count out the exact amount of money for a taxable item and tell them they are going to learn a lesson at the checkout counter. When they pay for it, the clerk will tell children they do not have enough and must pay for tax. Digging out more money helps children remember the lesson. On the way home explain all the ways everyone pays taxes and where local, state, and federal taxes go. There are income taxes, sales taxes, gas taxes, fees, property taxes, licenses, internet, phone, utility taxes and more. Show children “taxes” on your bills.  

  How is the money used? Taxes pay for government 

How Is the Money Used?

buildings, parks, libraries, services like plowing roads, city, state, and federal workers like teachers, librarians, waste disposal, police, and fire workers. Family members may work for the government, receive a government payment or pension.

  Young children can practice earning money and managing it by playing toy store. They can learn that businesses and people have many expenses. When finished, count the till and take out about half for all fees, licenses, personal, employee’s, local, state, and federal taxes. Then take out more than a fourth for employees’ wages and other payments, utilities, insurance, and cost of materials. What is left is theirs.

Labor Equals Payment

  According to economists, the earlier we attach work to production and pay, the earlier we teach children the economic principle of trading labor for capital (money). No matter how small the amount of birthday and holiday money children have, set up four jars. Label them save, spend, 

Labor & Investment - Build Savings

invest, and donate. Savvy Pig on-line has divided piggy banks for sale. 3jars.com has good explanations of these principles for kids.  “Whatever Happened to Penny Candy?” by Richard Maybury gives a clear explanation of economics for everyone third grade and above and the many versions of Monopoly are good economics games.

 For older kids the stock market site howthemarketworks.com has good explanations. You can explain how your 401K ‘s, union, pensions, and individuals are investing in the stock market. With your help children can do a” fantasy invest” and watch a stock like Disney. 

  Other concepts like how compounding interest can hurt or help them, the investment rule of 72, and opportunity cost are useful. Check Google for quick explanations.

  You can teach children to charge interest when they lend money to siblings. The youngest usually cleans up. For more see grandparentsteachtoo.blogspot.com; wnmufm.org/Learning Through the Seasons; Pinterest and Facebook since 2009.

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling photos

Dice, Tallies and Fine Motor Skills

Teach Fine Motor Skills with a Pair of Dice

Fine motor skill is the coordination of hand muscles so children can print and do other related tasks correctly. Simple fun activities help teach, practice, and refine these skills. All you need are a pair of dice, pencil, paper, and ruler.

Fun with Math

Start with investigating. Help your children study a pair of dice. What do they see?  Count the dots. What numbers are represented by the dots? What shape is a dice? How many sides are there?

    Explain a guessing game you can play. With your help, young children draw a chart using paper, pencil, and ruler. Across the top should be six squares. Help your children write the numerals 1 – 6 and draw a vertical line from the top to the bottom of the paper from each numbered square.

   Explain that tally marks keep track

Play Guessing Games with Dice

 of how many times a number is rolled. Discuss that tally marks are another way of representing numbers and a way of recording an outcome. Ask your children which number they think will be rolled the most. 

  Have your children roll one of the dice. Count the number of dots on the side facing up. Show how to make a tally and have your child make a tally mark under the correct number. Continue doing this for ten rolls. Show how you record five tallies by placing a slanted line over four of them. Talk about how it is easier to see and count which number has the most. After ten rolls, ask children if their guess was correct. Which number did come up the most? Which number came up the least?

Gaining Strength 

  The simple act of rolling dice helps children gain strength in the shoulder, wrist, hands, and fingers. 

Rolling Dice Strengthens Muscles

This control leads to correctly using tools like pencils, crayons, scissors, and other objects. Tally marks are a useful tool for children to keep track as they count and collect data quickly in science, math, and everyday life. Grouping tally marks also reinforces counting by fives. 

  You may want to use the pattern of the dots in the tally squares instead of the numeral itself. This helps your children visually understand a number. For an older child, you may use the numbers up to 12. A child will need to add the faces of both dice to record the correct number. This helps practice addition skills.

   Count with tallies often. When your children understand five tallies, add on more tally marks for counting practice.  “Tally O’Malley”by Stuart J. Murphy and “Tally Cat Keeps Track”by Trudy Harris are great read together books.

  For more see grandparentsteachtoo.blogspot.com and wnmufm.org/Learning Through the Seasons live and podcasts.

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

Kids Love Cheap Easy Activities

Playing in Water is Fun & Teaching Time

Playing with water is a great way to have fun, increase vocabulary and teach.  Young children who read and do fun hands-on learning activities while talking to adults start school with about ten times as many words than children who don’t have these opportunities. 

Math and Science

  When the family heads to the beach for fun there can be  a little teaching, too. Take along different sized containers , a bucket, shovels, and plastic toys.  How many cups will fill a bucket?  How many buckets does it take to fill a hole in the sand? Where is the water going if  there is no exit stream? 

  Families can gather flat rocks on the beach and teach older children to skip them in the water.  Little children can throw a few stones in the water close to them.  Do bigger rocks make bigger splashes?  Why?

   Place some water in a container and start adding a few stones. Guess and count how many stones it takes before a container overflows. Gather natural items found on the beach and find out what floats and sinks.  Children also like to fill a small plastic boat- like container with rocks and estimate how many are needed to sink it.  You are teaching water displacement and volume which is a measure of the amount of space an object takes up.

  Children can make an outlet stream from their hole back to the lake. Now can they make a dam with sticks, stones, and mud?

  Speaking of mud, who can make the highest castle tower by drizzling mud through their fists?  This is a good technique for sugar sand that doesn’t pack well.

Water is Cheap Paint!

Paint and Wash with Water

  Water is a cheap paint, too. Young children love to paint with water and a small brush on colored paper or concrete. Provide a bucket and different kinds of paintbrushes. Together make the ABC’s, numbers, shapes, and draw pictures on the driveway. You can explain that the water molecules evaporate into the air.

 Children love to help clean bikes. They can use a hose or a thoroughly rinsed spray bottle filled with water.  Teach children how to spray and wipe with hand towels. They can also rinse off soap from your car and themselves on a hot day.

Indoor Water Fun

Water is Great Anywhere!!

  Water play is easy indoors, too.  Fill a dishpan or tub with water. Use plastic measuring cups to fill different containers.  Dolls, trucks and other toys can be washed with a little dish soap and a brush if you don’t plan to use the water for plants later. Give children straws to blow bubbles in the water or on their cupped hand. Estimate how many small toys are required to sink a container.

For more see grandparentsteachtoo.blogspot.com and wnmufm.org/Learning Through the Seasons live and podcasts.

 Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

Sorting Helps Science and Math Skills

Walks With Young Children Are FUN!!

Walks with young children are especially fun in fall when the leaves turn brilliant colors and many flowers have interesting seed heads. They can observe birds flying south in giant V’s and other animals frantically burying food for the winter. It’s a great time for children to collect objects, too.

 You can prepare by gathering some small bags, paper plates, glue, newspaper, a marker, and magnifying glass.

Collecting Fun 
   Learning goes better on a full stomach. Right?  You can pack a picnic snack and explain you are taking a walk to look for signs of fall and collect colorful leaves, seeds, and pebbles which stay the same in any season but are fun to collect. Take along an extra bag for paper garbage to clean up the area, too.

  Fields, bike paths, shorelines, cemeteries, and college campuses have a variety of trees and beautiful surroundings. Encourage children to collect and count many different types, sizes, colors, shapes, and textures. You can include a library book of tree identification to help answer questions about why leaves change colors and fall.

Collect and Count

Sorting Skill

  After collecting and snacking return home to sort out materials on newspapers based on characteristics. Print a title on each paper plate like leaves, seeds, or pebbles.

   Next label more plates with characteristics (attributes). For leaves, you may use five plates labeled red, orange, green, brown, and mixed colors.  Plates for seeds may be acorn, maple, and flower and weed seeds, large, and small. Pebble labels may be large, small, shiny, dull, smooth, rough, sharp, soft (sandstone) hard black, brown, white, speckled.

   Casually help your children decide where the objects belong. Before you take a break, spread leaves in paper toweling and insert them in a large book. (Back to back cookie sheets will also work.) Then place some heavy weights on top to flatten the leaves as they dry.

 When you’re ready for another 

Discuss What You Collect - Similar & Different??

project, take out paper plates, marker, and glue. Children can glue the sorted objects to make designs, a number, category, or their name. Children like to glue leaves, seeds and rocks on plates as a collage, take a photo, and send it to extended family or show during the next FaceTime.

 Discuss different attributes of objects as children glue them on the plates. Young children will develop small hand muscles and learn to use small dabs of glue.  It is very tempting to take a glue bottle and squeeze it neatly for children or place an object just so.  Instead give tips on how to hold the bottle and leave the rock where it is. The end product is not really important. It’s the process. For more family fun see grandparentsteachtoo.blogspot.com and wnmufm.org/Learning Through the Seasons podcasts and live.
Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

S.T.E.M. Perfect for Families

STEM Opens Conversation Channels

S.T.E.M.  opens up many new opportunities for conversation and learning  during family time like taking walks. The acronym stands for having fun with science, technology, engineering, and math.  Most states have now added “A” for art making the acronym S.T.E.A.M. It’s a way of organizing learning and families can participate.

A Way of Thinking

  How does S.T.E.M. work in the family?  Whenever a family is doing an activity, adults can add a little learning. For example, if grandpa is taking a walk with young children he can stop to watch a few ants working around their anthill. He might even pack a magnifying glass, a

How Does STEM Work?

 real handy tool.  Maybe they’ll pick up a stick to watch an ant crawl. Gramps can add a few interesting science facts he knows about ants, like they bite and may sting.  They crawl down many feet below the frost line to survive the winter. What happens if we leave a little honey, cheese, or a dead fly by the ant hole?  What is the prediction?

  When they get home they might look up information about ants and images on Google or You Tube educational movies.  They might take a picture with their camera. This picture can be inspiration for some sketches, models of ants, or a library visit.  

How Does STEM Work?

  To get the “E” for engineering, grandpa might talk about now the ants make their home. What happens when their house on the sidewalk gets washed out?  How long will it take to rebuild? How is their home like ours—ant farm anyone?

  Let’s count how many ants we see on the way to the park?  Are they all the same color and size?  Is there a pattern to the ant holes on the sidewalk?  There is your math.

  Counting, finding likenesses and differences, looking for patterns, asking questions, figuring out answers, putting in groups, and classifying them are activities kids love to do. Adults can sneak them in anytime anyplace.

Seaborg Center

  Families can talk about the weather, gravity, animals, plants, tracks, mud, gardens, water, 

Sign up for Summer STEM!

food, signs, 

camping, or playing sports, all with S.T.E.M. or S.T.E.A.M. in mind. It’s a way of thinking that just takes a little practice.

  According to the National Science 

Foundation “Over 50% of the fastest growing jobs in the U.S. are math, science, engineering, or technology related” and with families helping, grandkids can get those jobs.

  

All Free Home Materials!

Northern Michigan University offers many exciting summer S.T.E.M. classes for young children at the Seaborg Center that are S.T.E.M. related.

  Many libraries, nature centers, Y’s, and summer camps use the S.T.E.M. model for organizing their programs.  There are also many on-line ideas to easily work S.T.E.M. into your family’s summer life.  

It’s all free with materials in homes, parks, and backyards. 

photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

More Vocabulary Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’

website: Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube

Easy Math Recipes for Kids

Baking For Fun and Learning

Two fun and successful recipes for young children are "Three Ingredient Apple Danish" and "Eggless Cake." These recipes provide math skill practice and talking time for young children without feeling like work.
Dashing Danish
  These are like little apple pies found at fast food places.
You’ll need three ingredients: 2 medium cooking apples like Granny Smith or Golden Delicious, 1/3 cup white sugar, and two sheets ready rolled puff pastry.                 
  Peel, quarter, and core apples.

Young children can use a table knife to cut after adults have peeled the apples. Place in a saucepan with a few splashes of water.  Cover and cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes until the apples have softened. The apples are also delicious with morning oatmeal.
  Remove from heat and stir through with the sugar. Add a small amount at a time since you may not want to use all the sugar. Then set to cool.
  Children can cut each puff pastry sheet in half and half again and then into two triangles or any other shape.  Talk about shapes with the kids while brushing each border of the pastry with water. Spread big spoonful of apples on top but not too close to the edges. 
Cut another pastry rectangle as you did before and cut a few slits across the shapes being careful not to cut all the way across. Place over the apple covered shapes so they fit together. Lightly press and firmly press along the edges. Children can use a fork to press down on the edges. Sprinkle each lightly with sugar.  Bake 12-15 minutes in a 220-degree oven or until puffed and golden.
Vegan Cake
  This chocolate cake was commonly made in cities during WWII when eggs were rationed and chocolate was saved for a special occasion.
In one bowl mix 1 ¾ cups nondairy type milk (almond, soy), 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 ¼ cups unsweetened applesauce, 2/3 cup canola oil, and 2 teaspoon vanilla. 
In another bowl sift together (or gently mix well with a spoon) 2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons flour, 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. 
Slowly mix (with a mixer) dry ingredients to liquid ones. Children can put their hand on top of yours to get the experience while talking about safety. Mix until very creamy. 
Place in cupcake papers or a cake pan sprayed with cooking spray. Cook in 350-degree oven 25-30 minutes, less for the cupcakes. Check the center with a toothpick.  It should come out clean. 
Let cool. Eat with ice cream and a few raspberries on top.
Sketch: Mark Nowicki
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Teaching Kids Anytime Anywhere

Name the Colors

Many young families are working in a little bit of reading and math teaching with children as they go about daily errands. They have great ideas to share. Here are a few....
Sneak in Reading
   While shopping, practice the alphabet and their sounds.  At the grocery store point out fruits and vegetables and ask for beginning sounds that are one consonant.  Ask children to find letters you name on signs or familiar words like in, out and checkout.
   A little of this goes a long way or you’ll never finish the shopping, but some teaching is a good habit anywhere. Soon young children will expect teaching while doing errands. 
  As soon as possible, teach children to read labels. One parent last week gave each of his three young children a box of cereal. They were expected to find the sugar, salt, and protein content in grams on the nutrition label. Then he skillfully guided the discussion to decide what cereal was best to keep them healthy. He also had the oldest child help write and read the grocery list. Impressive!
  Children can learn many words at the grocery. However, avoid saying, “Sound it out”

Lots to Learn Here!

for every word. Many English words cannot be sounded out. The individual sounds won’t blend together to make the word. “Through” is a good example. If children can sound out one or more syllables correctly and get stumped simply tell them the word and its meaning. They will learn that trying to figure out words is fun.
   Keep a variety of library books, a clipboard, drawing paper and colored pencils in a small plastic bin in your car so children can read and draw pictures. 
Stealth Math
  Family math teaching can also be done anywhere, any time. Back in the grocery store children can pick out fruits and vegetables based on characteristics you list for them. Picking out something based on certain traits and finding likenesses and differences are important math skills. Young children can choose ripe dark ripe purple plums and place six in a plastic bag, for example.
   They can also count out a nice bunch of five bananas based on your criteria. If you have time, place fruits and vegetables on the scale and

Count the Shapes!

have the kids read the numbers.
   Children can read the aisle numbers and simple money signs. They can count out small boxes or bags of goods for the cart.
  Help them understand what a gram looks like.  It weighs as much as a paper clip. If there are nine grams of sugar in a cereal serving show them a pile of nine in a spoon so they can picture and remember when they make food choices.  
photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos ; sketch: Mark Nowicki
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Econ Fun? Go To Garage Sales!

   What did you do with Grandma Dee this week? “We went garage sailing!” the cousins replied.  “We sail from one Garage Sale to another.” This fun time full of memories also teaches valuable economic lessons.

  On Thursday night the one cousin searches through newspapers, cuts out, and highlights Garage Sale times and addresses.  Friday Grandma Dee and cousins and choose some close to the neighborhood during their time allotment.

  Children prepare for the “sailing” by doing “special” chores like picking up sticks and pulling little maples trees out of the garden. Their parents help record their money on threejars.com, an on-line money education program that teaches wise spending, saving, and charitable giving. The young cousins may spend a total of two dollars if they find bargains.

What’s a Bargain?

  A bargain is in the eyes of the beholder, but there are guiding rules. It must be within or almost within the purchase budget.  If it costs more than you have, you may choose a different item or share the item cost with someone.

  High on the purchase lists are books, small cars, figures, board games, puzzles, stuffed animals, baby items for the new baby, sandbox toys, kitchen items like colander, LEGOS, other blocks, and sports equipment.

Buying Strategies

  The children make a general walk -through to see if any desired items are a good value for a good price. Is the item under consideration clean? Are all the pieces there and in working condition?  Is it something I want or need?  Will I use it one time or many times. Do I think I might find something better at another sale?  Once they leave a site they cannot go back.

  Anther rule is always using your best manners. At one site a cousin found a stuffed daschund dog.  At the check the owner stated that was his favorite dog. “Take good care of him.” The new owner kissed the dog’s nose and promised to give Biscuit the best new home ever.  New friends are made garage sailing, too.

  Not every purchase is for them. They are also encouraged to think of others.   Who could use a piggy bank or rattle?

  Next are lunch, conversation, and another time to make lasting memories.  Grandma and the young boys discuss each purchase. Of all the items displayed, why did they purchase that particular one rather than another? What are some things they decided against?  What made the purchases bargains?  Did they purchase anything for someone else? Do they have want or need -type purchases?

What money is left?  One cousin proudly holds up a nickel, and all look forward to next Friday, especially Grandma.

   For more economics and memory ideas with young children see grandparentsteachtoo.org or wnmufm.org “Learning Through the Seasons.”

Photos: Wikimedia Commons: Vintage treasures, going cheap -  http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/625227
Antique Shop, North Street, Horncastle - geograph.org.uk - 562128
 Dave Hitchborne - From geograph.org.uk

More Ideas and Activities... See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest.