When children are first learning math, there is a lot for them to keep track of! Especially, in the kindergarten through second grade years, distractions can be frequent.
The skills that we sometimes take for granted are just forming at this age. Tasks like keeping your place in a sea of numbers on a page or remembering what number you just looked at while you write it down—that’s work to first grader! There can be a lot of frustration to the mechanics of math even when the child knows how to find the answer.
So, I wanted to share a few simple tips that have helped us eliminate math frustration using common around-the-house objects. Seriously, when I say that these simple things fundamentally changed our math lessons for the better overnight, I am not exaggerating. And it started as my daughter’s idea!
BTW! Scroll to the bottom to grab your free subtraction worksheet from Education.com!
One day on a nature walk, my daughter found a little rock
‘No?!’ you say.
I mean, tell me your kids don’t come home with pocketfuls of rocks just walking from the car? This is NOT the remarkable part of the story. Just bear with me here.
So she particularly liked this pointy little rock and brought it home.
Fast forward to several days later. A typical math lesson sprinkled with massive frustration. She was having trouble keeping track of her place as she switched back and forth between her hundreds chart and her worksheet.
Then, the stroke of genius. She asked me, “Mom, can I get my rock to use as a pointer?”
And BOOM—a solution is born! But this place-keeper has done so much more than that. Here are some of the other wonderful uses for a simple place-keeper in elementary math:
1. A Place-Keeper
Well, this one is self-explanatory—a place-keeper keeps your place.
For example, in my daughter’s case, when finding which number is 4 before 122 on a hundreds chart, she locates 122. Then, she counts back four spaces and marks that number with the rock while she writes the answer.
Writing a three-digit number is not as small a task as it may seem. They often need to look back and forth, sometimes several times, to check and recheck the number. And it’s so frustrating to lose your place in that swarming sea of numbers.
A place-keeper basically acts as an extra finger, reminding them which number they’re on and preventing the unnecessary work of having to find an answer multiple times.
If you don’t have a great rock, clear, colorful bingo chips are perfect. You can still see the numbers through them!
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2. A Counting Aid
Using number lines to add and subtract can also be tricky to get the hang of. For example, when adding 5 + 3, kiddos might know that they begin on 5 and are supposed to count up the line 3 more numbers. But, frequently, they will begin by counting “one” on the 5 instead of “hopping” to the 6 first.
A small place-keeper has helped my daughter grasp this concept better than anything else by providing a tactile and visual aid. You begin by placing the marker on the appropriate starting number. Then, instruct the child to “hop” it to the next number while counting. I give the reminder that, “You’re counting the hops, so it must hop before you count ‘one.'”
And—just like the example above—the place-keeper stands on the answer and marks it while they write the answer and check their work.
Tiny animal figurines are great for this job and super fun!
3. A Visual Reminder and Reinforcer
When you start teaching addition and subtraction of multi-digit numbers, it’s time to instill the habit of beginning with the ones column. This can be a difficult point to drive home for some because, in reading, children have ingrained the habit of beginning on the left and working right.
For us, a place-keeping aid solved this issue overnight.
I begin the first math problem by prompting, “Which column do we start with?” My daughter then places her rock above the ones column and moves it over as she works to the tens and then hundreds.
When it’s time to move to the next problem, the place-keeper gives her much greater success with remembering to start with the ones column on her own. There are usually no more reminders necessary.
Pointy-shaped place-keeping aids work best for this one. Try cap erasers!
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4. A Focusing Tool
Now . . . and let me know if this is just me here . . . but sometimes I notice my kids get a little, um . . . distracted. Asking when is snack time, making an off-topic remark, looking at what a sibling is doing, or daydreaming. There is a constant need for little ones to practice refocusing on the task at hand.
As adults, we take for granted the skill of looking back at a page after a distraction and quickly finding where we left off. For little ones, this can be enormously overwhelming. Trying to master the actual work at hand is enough without the added frustration of constantly losing your place every time you look up. Which, let’s face it, happens a lot at this age.
A place-keeping aid acts like the giant “You Are Here” circle on the map at the mall. No more spending minutes after a bathroom break just trying to find where you left off!
Everyday objects make fantastic place-keepers! Grab a paperclip, penny, or crafting bead. Anything small and eye-catching.
5. BONUS: A Writing Spacer
These tiny tools are great for more than math. Choose one about the width of your child’s little finger. This happens to be the perfect size to act as a space-maker between words when writing. You know, so your child’s copywork doesn’tlooklikethis.
An appropriately sized Lego—narrow, long, and flat—is a perfect choice.
All Our Math Resources In One Place
These simple tools you already own work shockingly well! There is something about the visual and tactile aid that does more than just help kids keep their place. It actually helps them remember the steps and processes. Try it today and see how much it will eliminate math frustration in your homeschool.
Wanna try it out?
Give your math skills a workout with this one-digit subtraction worksheet. Then run over to Education.com for more exercises and resources to strengthen your subtraction game!
Subtraction Worksheet – Answer Key
