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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

6 year old who says "his brain's rubbish with numbers"

11 replies

Attacus73 · 27/09/2011 20:06

Can anyone recommend any games (not web/computer please) to help improve DS's numeracy? Anything useful for a 6 year old who tells me his "brain is rubbish with numbers"!!!! He's a young 'un - August birthday - and has just started year 2 and is just having a confidence crisis at the mo'. He's learning to add money, 2x tables, adding 10s and units and is struggling a bit telling me he's finding the work is too hard. He loves a Saturday night games night where we play Guess Who?, Frustration and stuff with pizza slices for tea so I'm thinking he'd respond well to some maths games then too. Ta in advance.

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belledechocchipcookie · 27/09/2011 20:07

Have you heard of dyscalcula? I'd speak to his teacher, she may be able to give you some ideas that would also help him in class.

Original poster

Attacus73 · 27/09/2011 20:12

He's doing alright in all other areas and I hadn't considered that this might be the issue. I'll speak to teacher at parents' evening next week anyway..thanks belle

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belledechocchipcookie · 27/09/2011 20:23

I think encouraging him to play 'shops' helps a lot, I used to do this with ds. Role play seems to make it more fun for some reason. The times tables are boring but best learned in rote, 1 times 2 is 2 etc. Very dull IMO but it works. Can you 'sell' him his pizza and he has to work out the change? Each slice is 2p, he gives you 10p, how much change?

PigeonPie · 27/09/2011 20:26

Do Lego do Maths-style games? We're thinking of using Lego bricks for DS1 for his year 1 maths as there are endless possibilities with calculating. Might be worth a try.

PigeonPie · 27/09/2011 20:27

Just another thought, Orchard Toys do some maths games including Pop to the Shops which might help.

shebird · 27/09/2011 20:30

There is a CD available on amazon that sings the times tables. We play it in the car and I've heard DD playing it in the morning as shes getting dressed for school. Its annoying but really helps as the tune just gets etched on your brain. DD has similar issues with maths and just needs more time and more explaining before it sinks in. Found this CD really helpful with learning tables though!

shebird · 27/09/2011 20:32

Also any 'old fashioned' board games like snakes and ladders, ludo and connect 4 help with being familiar with numbers counting on, logic etc.

iggly2 · 27/09/2011 20:34

Pop to the shops, junior monopoly, bingo, snakes and ladders (2 dice), Ludo. play shop with real money (up to 10 or 20p coins).

Original poster

Attacus73 · 27/09/2011 20:48

Brilliant ideas folks! Thanks a lot. He loves his lego too so will start doing some games with this as well.

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sarahfreck · 28/09/2011 12:30

There's a book called "The Dyscalculia Tool Kit" by Ronit bird that has ideas for maths games and activities that can help children with maths problems.

I've also had the "Sum Swamp" board game recommended to me by a specialist primary maths teacher. It is a basic adding and subtracting game suitable for ages 5+ ( not used it yet)

You could also look at some of the maths games sold by the Dyslexia shop like these times tables cards www.thedyslexiashop.co.uk/hoo-ha-times-tables-playing-cards.html (again not actually used them myself).

There is some mileage too in getting him to design his own games. What about a simple race-type game themed around something he likes with "forfeit" squares and squares where you have to pick up a card and do the maths question on it. You can them make different sets of cards according to what he is learning at present. You could use a lego brick as a counter and add another brick for each right answer (forfeit could be to lose a brick as well as the standard go back x squares or miss a go). The winner is the person with the tallest tower when the first person (or everyone) has crossed the finish line.
I've also made a wheel of fortune type spinner where you can spin to see how much money you are playing for, then answer a question or do a challenge from a card to win the money. I use Monopoly money, but play money ( or real pennies) would do too!

Have fun!

teta · 28/09/2011 13:39

My 7 year old also has this problem.his current teacher has just suggested that he might have dyscalculia.What has helped us most over the last year is getting him tutored by a very experienced kindly lady who has used all different types of visual aids and gone over things again and again.His twin sister is very good at maths so we didn't want him to fall behind and lose confidence in his own ability.He also loves lego and is brilliant at building vast complicated models [and is very bright] .

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