Math is FUN--when you "get it!" Ways to help you and your children understand and thus, ENJOY math!

Think about it.  Math is the subject where it is socially acceptable to fail.  "Oh yea, I wasn't good at math either" is a common comment.  A wise mother wanted to strengthen her own math skills so she did not pass on her "math phobia" to the next generation.  She asked me for resources so she could learn math better for herself, and she asked me for resources for helping her children learn math and have fun with it.   In preparation, I went through all of my links of math resources that I have used in private tutoring all grades of math, as well as for teaching freshman college mathematics.  I located on the web where to buy some of the resources I use.  In addition, if you as an adult want to improve your math skills, I created courses for this literacy post that use an online homework, text, and learning platform called MathXL.  Improve your math literacy!  Here are the resources.

RESOURCES FOR THE KIDS:

http://prekinders.com/links/#prek
It looks like a great resource to teaching ideas for the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten set.

http://www.amazon.com/Family-Math-Jean-Kerr-Stenmark/dp/0912511060/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330694183&sr=8-1
This book is a classic for Family Math Nights at schools.  It has been around since 1986.  It now sells for $2.42 used at this Amazon site.

http://dodgenms.typepad.com/ms_meagh/popular-links-to-math-web.html
I tutored Richmond Robinson and Ms. Meagh had some great links.

http://www.purposegames.com/
This site has a lot of wonderful games at all levels and for all subjects.  I use the following trigonometry games in my courses and challenge my students to beat my score for extra credit.  There are many other games created for subjects other than math as well.  My favorite trigonometry games are:
http://www.purposegames.com/game/angles-of-the-unit-circle-degrees-quiz/info
http://www.purposegames.com/game/angles-of-the-unit-circle-radians-quiz/info
http://www.purposegames.com/game/unit-circle-exact-values-quiz/info

http://www.math-drills.com/
This site has math fact worksheets that you can use for practicing.  I like making a game of timing how fast the student can complete the sheet.  The next time they try to beat their time.  Or make a game of having them beat you where you can slow down or speed up as you both "get better."

COOKBOOK
Here is the cookbook that I used with my sons to teach sequencing and fractions.  It is from Discovery Toys.
http://www.amazon.com/Kinder-Krunchies-Healthy-snack-recipes-children/dp/B000N8O99W/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330698539&sr=1-2
It looks like there is a newer version that has cheaper used copies:
http://www.amazon.com/Kinder-Krunchies-Healthy-Recipes-Children/dp/B001BOHGLU/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330698539&sr=1-1
This is the newest version of the book which looks like it is the best.  However is costs 10 times as much as the last link.
http://www.amazon.com/Krunchies-Healthy-Recipes-Children-Discovery/dp/B000T06KZK/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330698539&sr=1-3

SCIENCE RESOURCES:
I was looking for the name of a cookbook that taught fractions to young children. As I was looking, I stumbled onto this.  Usually a dislike for math accompanies a dislike for science, so I thought that this was useful.  Instilling that science and math is fun (before your children hear the groans at school) can help math and science to be fun when your children get to school.  Science and physics often involve practical applications of mathematics.  This article has fun science resources including great links at the bottom.
http://www.discoverthis.com/article-kitchen-chemistry.html


RESOURCES FOR YOU:

FREE math lectures can be found online at:
http://www.khanacademy.org/#browse
Their statement is:
With a library of over 3,000 videos covering everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history and 311 practice exercises, we're on a mission to help you learn what you want, when you want, at your own pace.

A different site that I like offers purchased lectures for precalculus and calculus.  These can be found at:
http://www.thinkwell.com/student/product/precalculus
I love this guy's calculus lectures.  They are very user-friendly and intuitive.  I would think that his college algebra lectures would be great too but I have not watched them.

HOMEWORK PROGRAMS FOR YOU:
https://register.pearsoncmg.com/reg/buy/buy1.jsp?productID=5080
This is a cheap subscription $50 for one year and $82 for two years.  After you complete one course, you may switch to another as long as you are still within the time frame that you purchased.  The program has "Help me solve this" and "View an Example" and "Textbook" links.  Through the textbook link you have access to the complete textbook that Kennesaw State University uses for the course. The best part though is that when you get an answer correct, it says "Great Job!"  and “Fantastic!" My mothers of teenagers like this feature of the program especially, because it is rare to hear those words.  :)
The course ID for elementary algebra (9th grade high school algebra) is XL0X-R1B1-501Y-6VH2

The course ID for the college algebra is XL0X-R17S-401Y-2HO2

The course ID for trigonometry is XL0X-R17U-401Y-4HO2.  

The course ID for the calculus with applications is: XL0X-R17V-701Z-1A62.

Try working math problems to stretch your brain.  Just playing Sudoku won’t give you the same positive affirmations!

ENJOY LEARNING!  

Model your enthusiasm for learning for your children!

PS Whenever a mother and child take one of my college courses, the mother outscores the child.  Moms, never be afraid to go back to school!  An added benefit of having your children see you study for school is that, when you are studying hard, your child sees that you only expect of them the same work ethic that you expect of yourself.  Go back to school when you can.  It is a great example to your children and grandchildren.