The Rhythm of Math Games

Posted on by Denise Gaskins
Family math game night

The art of homeschooling math begins with the rhythm of puzzle play. It continues with games, which are social puzzles.

Games are fun, building a positive attitude toward math. They give students a refreshing break from textbook work and make kids willing to practice their math.

But more important than the fun, math games push children to think about what numbers mean and how they work. A good math game reinforces the idea that math is about reasoning, using the things you know to figure out what you need.

For more about homeschooling with math games, check out my post Gameschooling Math.

Continue reading The Rhythm of Math Games

Limited Time: A New Set of History Strategy Games

Posted on by Denise Gaskins
Wiki Histories strategy game

There’s just one short week left to go on Gordon Hamilton’s new Kickstarter project, Wiki Histories: Snapshots of world history in mini-games.

Sign up now so you don’t miss out!

Wiki Histories are two-player snapshots of world history and prehistory. They are pencil-and-paper games. Each has a pair of maps, a simple set of standard rules, some unique rules, and a historical paragraph.

    Time: 15 minutes. Age: 9+.

    Back the Kickstarter Now

    The Rhythm of Math Puzzles

    Posted on by Denise Gaskins
    Father and son homeschooling math

    Homeschooling families naturally build patterns and routines that help us keep our sanity as we go through our homeschooling day.

    No matter what resources we choose or which curriculum packages we buy, we never end up following the book exactly as it is written. So don’t worry if you find yourself wandering away from the lesson plan. You’re not getting behind; you’re just discovering your family’s natural learning style.

    If you and your children have fallen into the rut of traditional math lessons, have patience. Give yourself time to adjust to a more relaxed mindset about math.

    And when you find the rhythm that fits your family, you’ll discover that math lessons flow so much more smoothly.

    Continue reading The Rhythm of Math Puzzles

    Learning Math with Puzzles

    Posted on by Denise Gaskins
    Mother and daughter homeschooling math

    Learning mathematics begins with puzzles. As stories are to history or science, puzzles are to math.

    In ancient times, math began with puzzles like:

    • How can we keep track of our herds, or predict the cycles of the moon, or figure out how much to pay for taxes?

    • How can we draw perfect right angles, or make beautifully symmetric designs?

    • What are the ratios of harp strings that create the most beautiful sounds?

    Math puzzles touch every area of life. Puzzles inspire curiosity and solving them brings joy.

    And we can enrich any homeschool math program with puzzles that invite children to think about mathematical concepts.

    Even those monster topics that often bring homeschooling families to tears, such as fractions.

    Continue reading Learning Math with Puzzles

    New Math Game Books and a Back-to-School Sale

    Posted on by Denise Gaskins
    Tabletop Math Games Collection books by Denise Gaskins

    After wrestling with some technical issues to connect my book printer to the store, I’m pleased to announce that the new Tabletop Math Games Collection, Volume Two books are now available in digital and print formats on my Playful Math Store.

    Visit the New Products page to find everything in the image above:

    Or check out the Tabletop Math Games Collection page to see the Volume One books also:

    I’m working on getting the paperback and hardcover editions of these books into all the regular online bookstores, but that’s been a slower process than normal. You can purchase ALL versions through my store now, and I’ll let you know whenever I find out the other bookstores have them available…

    Back-to-School Sale

    Would you like to add a playful challenge to your homeschool or classroom planning?

    For many years, I led math enrichment classes through our local homeschool co-ops. In recent years, family health issues have kept me from teaching and from doing library meet-ups.

    But even if you’ve never done one of my classes — or even if you live far from my hometown — you can still give your children a taste of creative math through my books and activity guides at Denise Gaskins’ Playful Math Store.

    Back to School Sale: Save 20% off problem-solving ebooks and printable activities through September 30th.

    Because thinking hard can be downright fun!

    Homeschooling: The Rhythm of a Math Lesson

    Posted on by Denise Gaskins
    Mother and son homeschooling math

    If there’s one thing common to all new homeschoolers, it’s a feeling of being overwhelmed. One solution is to develop a basic homeschooling rhythm, a daily routine of what you do first, and then next, and then next.

    Most new home schoolers try to adopt the rhythm they remember from their own school days, their own classroom experience. But our home is not a classroom, and that pattern can lead to burn-out.

    The secret to successful homeschooling is to find a natural rhythm that fits your family. Even in math.

    Continue reading Homeschooling: The Rhythm of a Math Lesson