Fun online maths games - reception

[tigerpug]

DS1 is 5 and in reception.

He has ASD and because of this we are quite proactive at home with supporting him learn, in the hope that we will make the school experience easier for him in any way we can. He loves technology so we occasionally use online games. He absolutely loves Teach Your Monster to Read, its fun and really interactive i.e. making outfits for the monster.

I am wondering if there is an online game equivalent for maths. The only games I have seen online look quite dull, or are too advanced for reception age.

[user789653241]

gws.ala.org/category/mathematics-amp-computers/mathematics

[user789653241]

If you like to learn maths in structured way, this site is great.

www.khanacademy.org/math/early-math

[Ferguson]

If at all possible it is important for children to UNDERSTAND what numbers are all about, and for this it is necessary to work with REAL things. However, there are also two useful websites at the end of this (and 'Save the Whale' is a good starting point.):

Practical things are best for grasping number concepts - bricks, Lego, beads, counters, money, shapes, weights, measuring, cooking.

Do adding, taking away, multiplication (repeated addition), division (sharing), using REAL OBJECTS as just 'numbers' can be too abstract for some children.

Number Bonds of Ten forms the basis of much maths, so try to learn them. Using Lego or something similar, use a LOT of bricks (of just TWO colours, if you have enough) lay them out so the pattern can be seen of one colour INCREASING while the other colour DECREASES. Lay them down, or build up like steps.

So:
ten of one colour none of other
nine of one colour one of other
eight of one colour two of other
seven of one colour three of other
etc,
then of course, the sides are equal at 5 and 5; after which the colours 'swap over' as to increasing/decreasing.

To learn TABLES, do them in groups that have a relationship, thus:

x2, x4, x8

x3, x6, x12

5 and 10 are easy

7 and 9 are rather harder.

Starting with TWO times TABLE, I always say: "Imagine the class is lining up in pairs; each child will have a partner, if there is an EVEN number in the class. If one child is left without a partner, then the number is ODD, because an odd one is left out."

Use Lego bricks again, lay them out in a column of 2 wide to learn 2x table. Go half way down the column, and move half the bricks up, so that now the column is 4 bricks wide. That gives the start of 4x table.

Then do similar things with 3x and 6x.

With 5x, try and count in 'fives', and notice the relationship with 'ten' - they will alternate, ending in 5 then 10.

It is important to try and UNDERSTAND the relationships between numbers, and not just learn them 'by rote'.

An inexpensive solar powered calculator (no battery to run out!) can help learn tables by 'repeated addition'. So: enter 2+2 and press = to give 4. KEEP PRESSING = and it should add on 2 each time, giving 2 times table.

There are good web sites, which can be fun to use :

//www.ictgames.com/

www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/page/default.asp?title=Woodlands%20Junior%20School&pid=1

[tigerpug]

Great advice here, thank you for the websites irvine
And Ferguson, this is incredibly helpful, I am going to print it out and will refer to it regularly! Many thanks again