Mental maths in Y1

[yellowsubmarine53]

Does anyone have any suggestions for resources/games/activities to improve this. Numbers don't come as easily to my dd as reading and writing and I'm trying to think of ways to help her.

TIA

To learn the number bonds to 10 we played pairs with homemade cards with the numbers 0-10 on. We put all the cards face down on the floor and took it in turns to pick two, if they added to 10 we kept them - we did the same with snap - I made a set with 4 of each number and we played snap - if the cards added to 10 you could shout snap.

someone mentioned on another thread the game "shut the box" we have it at home and it is great. i sometimes even let my daughter have a go

Any teachers about who could tell me what y1 children should be able to do 'in their heads'?

Would she enjoy games such as top trumps or snakes and ladders? My ds loves these and they really helped with his numeracy.
Also do you have an I phone/I pad? There are some brilliant apps I could recommend.

Second vote for shut the box, also orchard toys scaredy cat is great for numeracy as you have to add up all your cards at the end

because they only have ten fingers LaBelleDameSansPatience

Ah, yes I remember seeing something about 'Shut the Box' on a thread a while ago. Thanks, I'll have a look for that. I haven't got an I phone and don't particularly want one, but several of my friends use education apps for their children and really like them.

She knows her number bonds to 10 and can count in 2s, 5s and 10s, so she's actually pretty fine, but I'm aware that it doesn't come as easily to her as literacy and she gets a bit stressed about this (generally, a pretty stressed personality).

In terms of what they should be able to do in their heads number wise, LaBelle, dd's teacher mentioned these areas, but I'm sure there are more.

• number bonds to 10 and then 20

• adding 2 or 3 numbers up to a total of around 20

• ditto subtraction

• 2,5,10 times tables, forwards and backwards, then moving on to others

• knowing which one of two numbers is the greatest

• simple division, doubling, halving to 20

• time

• money

www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/pitchexpect-year1.pdf

Shut the box is fab!

This sounds bonkers but my DSs love 'Bedtime Math'. Google it... Tia a website and you sign up, then they send you a daily email which is a little story that ends with a basic sum...they have different levels for different ages.

I was told about it by someone and signed up. Personally find the emails a bit ling now and a bit American but it was enough to give us some ideas.

Now my two have a sum each night. They have to be led quietly bed, lights out then we just make up a simple sum that usually involves the day's events...eg; at the park today I saw 3 squirrels and 4 birds...how many creatures did I see altogether??

The boys absolutely love it and it is the best 'threat' ever to stop messing about...ie no bedtime maths if you....'

We are not nuts pushy parents at all and are a bit surprised by how popular this is in our house. Great for mental maths though!!