Math Games for Kids with Autism

Teaching math to children with autism is challenging on multiple levels. Broad difficulties like the inability to remember a long sequence of instructions, trouble with language skills and the inability to generalize ideas makes math as a subject particularly difficult to master. However, this doesn’t mean that kids with autism cannot be taught math; rather, it takes special teaching approaches and a great deal of patience from the teacher in order to help an autistic child learn and understand math.

Using Math Games for Autistic Kids

For autistic kids, one of the biggest challenges in understanding math is understanding the language of math. While teachers in traditional classrooms use language to explain mathematical concepts, autistic kids with weak language skills cannot benefit at all from this teaching style. Using manipulatives and demonstrating the concepts works far better in this case. 

                                                       

                                            Photo by jimmiehomeschoolmom

There are many simple math games for kids with autism, designed to help them grasp basic concepts with ease. Notice how the following games are structured to appeal to autistic kids.

1.       Find the Number

This math game for kids is very simple and structured, making it easy for children with autism. It helps them master number concept by associating numbers with the visual imagery of dots. 

Cut out large index cards and number them from 1 to 10. Cut out another ten index cards of the same size. Cut out fifty five small dots from foam paper. For each number card, stick a corresponding number of dots on a blank index card. 

Begin with the numbers 1 to 3. Show the child a number card and ask him to give you the corresponding dotted card. Then show the child a dotted card and ask for the corresponding number card. Gradually add more numbers as the child masters the ones you’re practicing. The foam dots are meant to appeal to the child’s sense of touch. You can replace the dotted cards with manipulatives like toy cars or blocks if you think it will work better.

2.       Potato Numbers

This is another math game dealing with number concept. It allows autistic kids to work with their hands and gives them a visual representation of what each number corresponds to.

Cut out a long strip of cardboard about 20” long and 5” wide. Cut out a white strip of paper to cover the cardboard. Glue the paper to the cardboard strip. Draw five lines across the width of the strip, dividing it into six equal parts. Draw another line across the length of the strip dividing it into half. Cut three medium-sized potatoes into half so that each half can sit comfortably in one of the boxes on the strip. Write the numbers from 1 to 6 along the bottom row of the strip and arrange the potatoes in the boxes along the top of the strip.

Give the child 21 toothpicks and have him stick the right number of toothpicks into each potato, corresponding to the number written below it. For a more challenging task, you can write the numbers out of order instead.

These are just a few examples of math games for autistic kids. It is important to remember that no two autistic kids learn the same way. Each child has his or her own set of strengths and weaknesses, and a math game that may work brilliantly with one child may get you nowhere with the second. However, with many broad similarities among kids with autism, you could try the same game with the other kids and find it successful with a few more students in the class.

In general, a trial-and-error method is best when coming up with the best techniques to teach kids with autism. With each trial, analyse the method used to figure out why it worked or not, and use your conclusions when choosing other teaching methods for the same child.

 

Math Activities to Prevent Summer Slide in Kids

Many kids dread math. They look forward to summer vacation because they can stay away from the subject for a long time. Summer holidays bring about lethargy in kids and they are reluctant to practice anything that’s got anything to do with math. Here are a few carefully thought out math activities for kids that can actually make their summer holidays brighter, and break their math-jinx!

Photo by: Tax Credits

Ideas for math activities:

Budget game

Summer is all about fun at the beach and sudden day outings. Share a budget with your kids and allow them to plan the outings; food, supplies, fuel, etc. If you have older kids, give them goals based on nutrition, such as grams of protein, total calories, etc. 

Pots of gold

This is a fun math activity that you can plan on any birthday party or kids’ day in. Stuff a number of pots with sand and hide equal number of cents in all of them. Hand over the pots to the kids and instruct them to scour through the sand and find all the cents and dimes hidden in it. Then, have them count the total amount of coins that they could find in the pots. Some kids might not find all the coins while some may just manage to find all!

Number plate counting

We’ve all played math activities with car number plates as kids. Here are a number of them that you can play with the kids:

• Rearrange the numbers on the plate to make the largest three-digit number possible.
• Rearrange the numbers on the plate to make the smallest three-digit number possible.
• Add all the numbers up.
• Subtract the second number from the first, and then the third number from the answer (answers might be in negative).
• Combine math skills: add the first two numbers and subtract the third number from its result, or multiply the first two numbers and add the third to the result, etc.

Planning groceries

Share your monthly groceries list with your kids. Instruct them to look for coupons and offers on the items you plan to buy. Have them subtract the discounted prices from the original prices and calculate the total savings for the month. Example, if the original price of a jar of jam costs $5 and its discounted price is $3, then the saving will be $2. You can encourage the kids further by buying them a gift worth the saving amount. 

Patterning groceries

This is an activity for preschool kids. As you put away your groceries, have the toddlers sort them out by their patterns into groups of: bottles and jars, items in brown paper packages, carton packed items, and items  that cannot be grouped (like round shoe polish boxes, pouches of sugar, etc.)

Think out of the box and try to make a math activity out of regular tasks and events such as the sunrise, going to bed, planning trips, study time, etc. Have fun with the kids during their holidays and keep summer slide in check.

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!