UPDATE: Math people help me out here!

[larig]

I tend to agree with egoldber.

I'd focus more about the counting by 10s from number other than 10, or 5s, etc. than the timed stuff.

We had a dice game when I was a kid that was really fun that helped me with my addition fluency. I'll try to see if I can find it for you.

And for what it's worth, his answer about the symmetry is dead right. I LOVE that answer, and that's a very very mathematical answer. Higher level math. I think he's going to surprise you.

Eta: and remember this, for whom are these timed tests meaningful? I have yet to ever be asked to do basic math under time constraints in my professional life (beyond my certification exams), and I was a math teacher. And, accommodations on tests are made for kiddos like yours.

[rin]

I tend to agree with egoldber.

I'd focus more about the counting by 10s from number other than 10, or 5s, etc. than the timed stuff.

We had a dice game when I was a kid that was really fun that helped me with my addition fluency. I'll try to see if I can find it for you.

And for what it's worth, his answer about the symmetry is dead right. I LOVE that answer, and that's a very very mathematical answer. Higher level math. I think he's going to surprise you.

Eta: and remember this, for whom are these timed tests meaningful? I have yet to ever be asked to do basic math under time constraints in my professional life (beyond my certification exams), and I was a math teacher. And, accommodations on tests are made for kiddos like yours.

Yahtzee? I remember having a lot of fun with that, also cribbage is a good card game that builds basic addition.

[arivecchi]

Our district starts timed math facts in second grade. Kids are to complete as many as they can within a certain time period--'used as a drill, not for grading purposes.

First grade is way too early for math facts.

[Pinky]

We got the Sum Swamp Game based on recommendations here on the board and our 5yo loves it. I'm not sure how old your child is but it helps learning evens and odds, subtraction and addition etc. (1-10)

[sste]

Thank you for game recs and general parenting/math advice! Very much appreciated. I am going to work more on the counting up and just limit my math fact obsession to five or so minutes per day plus some games. I am ordering sum swamp. Larig if you remember the dice game, can you post? Thanks! I think if we could make it fun then we could get through this piece and he would feel better about math. Also he is starting second grade -- I don't really know when our district starts to require math facts but I think soon? And also I wonder if the facts are useful for getting better at breaking larger numbers apart.

I also had "growth mindset" shoved up my behind by DS today! We were in the car, he was complaining about math practice (which is only 15-20 minutes and not every day). And I said but you are great at math. Which despite this math fact issues he is scary good at patterns, better than me actually, and also with strategy. And he said, "But how can I be good at math with bad effort and bad attitude. You said to be good at anything I need that. And I have bad effort and attitude at math so I can't be good at it. (said with some satisfaction)." At least his logic is intact . . .


ETA: He does have accommodations for extra time but IME having the accommodation, getting the teacher to use it, and having the kid feel OK about it are entirely different animals and it can be hard to get #2 and even harder to get #3. That said, we are lucky he has it.

[larig]

It's this game.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shut_the_Box

I had the one with 1-12 on it like this. There are other variations that go 1-9, etc.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...75A8CBHRAZ11D1

[plusbellelavie]

My kids have all enjoyed this Math game and can be used to practice various math concepts either together or one by one. Currently when my youngest plays with his older siblings he uses subtraction and addition. While the older ones use multiplication and division as well to "win" while they explain to DS2 what they are doing. So at the same time they are playing with him he is learning. It is too easy for my older kids but it is still fun.

http://www.amazon.com/Ideal-241-4-Wa...rds=Count+math


My youngest will be entering 2nd Grade and attends an bilingual school and has math classes in two languages French and English. Interestingly his American math teacher uses timed math test in 1st grade as a drill/practice but they weren't graded. There seem to be more "stress" to push ahead in this class rather to be sure the kids understood the mechanism or concept. His French Math teacher pushed the mental calculation....ie she would say 3+1= and kids answer her question out loud...she starts slow and the goes faster. She also allowed different manipulative to be used...buttons, cubes, number lines, etc to solve the question. There was a lot of repetition of the same problems just asked differently. She gave them simple math questions for "homework" but really no stress just a lot more repetition of the facts then his Math class in English. Just wanted to share the different methods I have seen last year. My son enjoyed the timed test because he is competitive but I think he got a lot out of the method his French teacher used as well.

[sste]

A positive update!