Maths for a 6yr old

hobo28

Hi all

Does anyone know where I can get some cheap, preferably free (This is MSE!) worksheets and stuff to help a 6yr old with maths?

I've noticed my step daughter's math's is weaker than her literacy and want to help boost her a bit. She's not doing badly, she's about average in her class but I just want her to do the best she can by helping her a bit at home.

Also, any ideas on how to teach them? I really struggled last night to help explain how to subtract big numbers in a way she can understand. I'm a useless teacher!

dumpy

It may be that you are teaching her a method that you learnt at school that isn't used at the moment, a Key stage 1-2 book (fairly easily available in shops) will show yout he method that she is being taught.

But why not make it fun, rather than sitting down and doing a worksheet count things whilst you are out, let her work out how much change she will have if she buys something. Play with plasticine and cut it into pieces to do fractions. Can she help you cook? Add the weight of the ingrediants together. Think about how much you do maths everyday without noticing.

Singing timetables isn't done now (I don't think) but knowing these has been a God send for me so why not go over them with her and test her with something as a reward. Let her test you as well, she'll have to work out the answer to make sure you are correct and it'll make her feel great if you get one wrong!

If she finds maths fun she will improve in leaps and bounds

jason123_2

There are loads of maths games online and free, the yahooligans site has lots of safe links http://kids.yahoo.com/directory/School-Bell/Math

here are some american math games sites, just been playing the banana angles game. Didnt do very well

http://www.classbrain.com/artgames/publish/math_games.shtml

andyrules

Also, any ideas on how to teach them? I really struggled last night to help explain how to subtract big numbers in a way she can understand. I'm a useless teacher!

Then don't try and teach her - leave it to her teachers at school. If she is struggling, they will be aware and there is nothing stopping you going in and discussing it, they can give you some advice.

I've said this before, but the way you can help is not by sitting a 6 year old in front of books at home, (you don't mention daughter's age) but by helping them be secure on tables (essential), small number facts, such as 17-9, telling the time, reading weights in supermarkets, knowing how petrol is measured, what 1/2 or 1/4 of a cake looks like - all of those 'life' skills underpin the calculations and methods they learn at school.

Some useful websites were mentioned on a previous thread recently, but here are a couple -

- http://www.primarygames.com/
http://www.teachingtime.co.uk/

maybe someone can link you to the thread as there was loads of good advice there.

jason123_2

Here it is, http://www.classbrain.com/artgames/publish/banana_angles_hunt.shtml

hobo28

andyrules wrote:

Then don't try and teach her - leave it to her teachers at school. If she is struggling, they will be aware and there is nothing stopping you going in and discussing it, they can give you some advice.

I understand what you mean and I will be discussing it with her teacher. But the worry I have is that the teachers won't really care. From their point of view they have 30 children who have a huge range in abilities. I guess my Stepdaughter is probably average in her class. So from the teachers point of view, nothing to worry about. However, I've grown up in a culture where education is extremely important so I just want to help her a little bit. To help her achieve her best potential.

My partner and I disagree on this subject. She thinks I should just let her be and that "...maths just isn't her thing." but I don't think we can just accept that without at least trying to help her. I'm positive she is capable of doing better. Especially as she has quite a short attention span so I guess she gets bored at school whereas at home, we can just do 10 mins here and there whilst giving her individual attention and maybe a small reward at the end.

Scarlett1

fun stuff for all ages

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/index.shtml?survey=no&url=www.bbc.co.uk/schools/index.shtml&js=yes

Sarahsaver

Use it on a practical way, like how many slices of bread do we have here, how many do we need to make the sandwiches? Cook with your 6 y.o. My lot have been cooking with me since they have been old enough to stand up and they measure and weigh, and this teaches them a lot - it REALLY matters if you get the quantity right! ALso you can do taking away like that as you could halve recipes and so on.
Also gardening uses maths - measuring a sunflower, how far apart seeds have to be, measuring rainfall and so on. My daughter shouted out a number at me one day and I said PARDON? She had only gone and counted the metal studs in the road as we went over a pedestrian crossing. She was 3 years old.
Kids tend not to like worksheets at home as they get that at school anyhow. I have some software OP please PM me I could send it to you. ELC has tapes of songs about times tables and so on, singing helps many people learn.

amandada

I totally understand where you're coming from....I had concerns re my dd's maths too and was thinking she maybe needed some extra support....until we saw the teacher at parent's night a couple of weeks ago.
Before we had opened our mouths, the teacher was telling us how well she was doing, PARTICULARLY AT MATHS.
It turned out that the reason dd was having to work so hard with maths was because she's working at a level 2 years beyond her age group!!!! The school has a policy of "giving children their head" rather than holding them all to the same level.
Check with the teacher-you never know!!!

bluejosiah

I would have a word with the teacher and ask them to point you in the right direction, maybe they have ideas on their school website. Many teachers would love to help as they want their pupils to be happy and plus it is helping them out in a round about way. I would also recommend http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/numeracy.htm and http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/teacher/maths.html and http://www.primaryworksheets.co.uk/ and search google using "maths worksheets". Finally, and I mean finally... this might help you to know what is expected http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/ts/publications/list/?index=3

little_lil

At my sons school we have a weekly class for parents where we are given fun class related activities to do at home with our children. This has proved so useful to us at home, i have been given free loads of things that my son also uses in the class. One of the best is a number square which is basically a table 10 sqaures by 10 squares with the numbers 1 to 100 in it, whenever he is stuck with a maths related question he uses this. They have also given us fun games to make, one of the best being a poster we drew ourselves with items which we then gave prices too, we then got the children to pretend they were buying particular items from the 'shop' with real money.

Perhaps you could suggest that your school does something similar, it only lasts for 30 mins and is held straight after registration. The only sad thing is that out of the whole school only four parents attend regularly, but i think they are working on trying to get the message to more parents.

lil