Free Math Worksheets for 1st Grade – 4 Great Websites

Photo Courtesy - Jimmie

You might not like using worksheets as the main teaching tool for your child, but the fact remains that when used appropriately, worksheets can be very useful for both students and teachers. This is especially true when it comes to math, a subject that demands plenty of practice and reinforcement. And since it’s never too early to help your child acquire foundational math skills, your first grader will definitely benefit from doing the occasional worksheet. Here are 5 great websites that offer printable and free math worksheets for 1st grade. You can use them for homework, homeschooling or classroom use.

1. Math Blaster
Mathblaster.com lends a much-needed helping hand to first graders trying to move beyond counting and telling time. This popular website offers free math worksheets on a variety of 1st grade subjects– from basic single-digit addition and subtraction to more advanced topics like fractions and geometry. Whether your child needs to polish previously learned skills or move on to more advanced math topics, the free math worksheets here are all the practice he’ll ever need! Besides, you get to download high quality printables by subject experts, designed to make math fun and interesting for young children.

2. Math is Fun
First graders are quick learners but get quickly bored if you present them with the same learning material all the time. That’s why parents and math teachers are always on the lookout for new resources that will help sustain their interest in math. If you’re one of these, mathisfun.com is the perfect website for you. Here, mathematics teachers and mathematicians have come together to create free math worksheets that undergo stringent quality checks. New worksheets appear at frequent and regular intervals on the website, so your child gets enough practice ona variety of math topics.

3. The Math Worksheet Site
As the name suggests, themathworksheetsite.com is a treasure trove of free math worksheets for all grades. What sets it apart from its peers is its intuitive interface that allows you to tailor each worksheet to target your child’s weak areas. This makes a lot of sense because math skills are built on a foundation of cumulative skills – for instance, a first grader who hasn’t mastered counting yet will find it difficult to learn addition. This website allows you to shake off the constraints of readymade worksheets and textbooks that might offer too much or too little practice to your first grader.

4. Math Drills
Uncluttered layouts and thousands of free math worksheets are the USPs of mathdrills.com and this is the go-to website to help your first grader become proficient in math. Here, you’ll find everything you could possibly want –worksheets that build basic as well as advanced math skills; loads of extra practice and new math strategies to help your child conquer the Math Monster. No wonder so many math teachers and homeschooling parents swear by Math Drills!

Kids’ Math Games that Teach Counting

 

Photo Courtesy: Natural Math

Some kids take to math as fish do to water; others hate, fear and loathe it. Actually, teaching beginning math skills to a 3 year old is as easy as 1+1=2, if you go about it the right way. And no, getting him to push paper is NOT the right way. So, what’s a parent to do? Try some of these kids’ math games that teach your child how to count –and put the fun back into learning!

1. Neighborhood Number Crunch
Your neighborhood is packed with numbers – all you need to do is get your child to pay attention. Take him for a stroll around the block and watch out for numbers painted on street signs, mailboxes, doorways and curbs. As soon as you spot a number, call it out. See who can spot the most numbers. Want to make this kids’ math game a tad more challenging? Have your child count up to the number he spots.  For added variety, count trees, cars, dogs or even people dressed in red.

2. Cookie Bake ‘n’ Learn
Kids love cookies! But apart from being good to eat, cookies can also help your child learn counting. For a simple math lesson, have him count the number of cookies in a freshly baked batch. For more advanced learners, cookies can be the perfect fractions lesson as he cuts each into thirds, fourths, eighths or halves. Young children are visual learners and the act of actually cutting a cookie into fractions and adding or subtracting them can help them understand the lesson better than any worksheet could. This yummy kids’ math game teaches some unforgettable lessons!

3. Play date fun
The next time your toddler’s chums come over, have them play some classic games that also incorporate counting skills. For a game of hide-and-seek, ask your child to be “It.” As his friends hide, encourage him to count to 10 or 20 or even 50 if possible. For an older child, a hopscotch course in the yard is a great kids’ math game that hones his counting as well as large motor skills. If the kids are in the mood for something quieter, get them to play the classic board game Chutes and Ladders that has them counting their way up ladders and down chutes as the die rolls.

4. 20 Questions Daily Math
Make math a part of your child’s everyday routine. Challenge him with math questions related to the things he does in his daily life. For instance,
•    At a red light, how many black cars can he spot?
•    At the dentist’s, how many people will be left in the waiting room if five are called in?
•    If you ate only 1/3of your dinner, how much would you have left over?
•    How many Mars bars would you be able to buy if you had $5?

These kids’ math games are sure to challenge and intrigue your child. Just try to make them as creative and fun as possible!