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Hi,
My 9yr old is doing Bigger at the moment and my twins(7 yr old) will start Beyond in August. We have been using CLE math from Christian Light and they are thriving on it, so we are going to continue. All 3 are accelerated in math, my 9yr old will be in CLE maths 5(which he hates, but it is solid and we are going to continue even with all the groaning and complaining, he still averages 98 on his quizzes and tests). My 7 year olds will be in math 3 , which they love and are doing great in. I look longingly at the math exploration in Beyond and Bigger. But my kids are beyond these. I tried to do some with my 9 year old and he looked at me in disgust, 'Mom, even the twins will think that is for babies'. They look like so much fun, and I realise just what is missing in our math. FUN!!. CLE is a Menonite Company. There is not a lot of fun in the math. So , I have decided to let Fridays be a math FUN DAY. Just Living Books, games, activities, and Fun - 1 hr. But I don't know where to start. I need ideas. I need games, websites, I need books, I need the kids to start seeing math as something other than sitting down at the table and looking at 3 pages of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. We have pattern blocks and tangrams, my kids ignore these. FUN MATH, Fun books, FUN!!

Elmeryl(with J12, C9, L7, R7)

Elm,

If you do a search for 'fun math' on google, several links come up that look like they might be 'fun'. I have used Saxon and Horizons. Though both seem to be good programs, neither is touted as being a lot of FUN. My daughter has enjoyed and done well with Horizons, though. Anyway, I'm not much help because we haven't experimented much with our math...but maybe doing a search will help you find some 'fun math' resources!

I belong to a yahoo group called living math and the moderator of the group maintains a wonderful website: http://www.livingmath.net She has suggestions there for various games, books, etc. One book that I've heard mentioned frequently is the book by Peggy Kaye, Games for Math. Probably a number of games that we play would be too easy for your children now, but Sum Swamp is a favorite around here. It just uses easy addition and subtraction though you can get the 10 sided dice or more to make it a bit more challenging. Another favorite game here for all ages is Blokus. It's great for visual/spatial planning. The website will give you tons of ideas for other games specific to whatever area of learning you want to enforce. Have fun!

I have Peggy Kaye's book. It has some fun ideas. Marilyn Burns also puts out some fun math activity books. I haven't tried them yet. The living math yahoo group that Pjdobro mentioned is a great resource too. Have fun!

we like Ben Franklins magic squares

3+07=10
2+06=08
5+13=18

And sudoku... if your kids are that advanced. the 9 digit sudoku should be a good exercise.

Also I loved my hi-lo box (i still have it) it had a bunch of plastic pieces in geometric shapes. I played with it for ages you can you put the pieces back in the box 1000 ways but I only ever found 6 on my own...

We also love blokus it has the same shapes as my hi-lo game but its a 2-4 player game where you try to block people out of your space while invading their space.
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/2453

And my friend just gave me Triple Challange http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/12485
She said her kids loved it and learned a lot from it. its is well used but in good condition so I believe her. But we have yet to play it cause its for 9+

Logic games we love are mastermind and river crossing jr.
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/2392

RightStart math (alabacus.com) sells a game kit with a book and several different decks of cards for the games. We have played several of them and my kids really enjoy them. Here's one example to give you an idea.

Go to the Dump (think of Go Fish)

You use the blue deck of number cards using about eight of each card 1-9. You deal out 5 cards to each player and then the rest of the deck becomes the "dump". The object of the game is to make "10". So if you have a 2, you would ask someone for an 8, or it you have a 5, you would ask someone else for a 5.

(I'm not very good at explaining that particular game, but a video comes with the book showing how to play some of the games.)

My kids love this game, and have learned their facts for "10" very easily and can spout them out with ease....all thanks to this game! It also goes very well with Singapore.

Good luck in your quest to make math fun!!

Hi,

I have a 7yo and 9yo as well (1st and 3rd grade). Something they both love to do is the Math Bingo games. I bought them at Lakeshore. We are just using addition and subtraction right now but I believe they have multiplication and division as well. I even have little treats sometimes when they win a game. It has really helped them to cement their math facts. They are getting quicker at coming up with the answers. We have a pizza fraction game as well. HTH

Jeri

We love the game Quartile from Simply Fun, too. http://simplyfun.com/products/quartile/ It's a little like dominoes with addition. I think it's challenging, and my 7 yo this year could play it. It uses addition and you're adding for sums up to 14...but having to match more than one tile correctly sometimes.

Saxon uses a "making 10" game that sounds a lot like the one Melanie uses. My ds LOVED that game..and it really does help with those math facts. (Her way sounded more fun with the "dump" though. )

You've got lots of great ideas here! Good question!
Kathleen