We all want our children to thrive, to grow, to learn, to succeed in school and in life. Cognitive science focuses on the “learning” part of life, studying how people acquire and retain information and then incorporate it into their understanding of the world. Earlier this year, Deans for Impact published a new edition of their white paper, “The Science of Learning,” summarizing cognitive science research and its implications for teachers.

This game helps students master multiplying and dividing fractions. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Fraction Product Game Math Concepts: multiplying fractions, equivalent fractions.

Would you like some great ideas for reading and playing math with your kids? Sue VanHattum put together a delightful collection of mathematical fiction in honor of Math Storytelling Day: Playful Math Blog Carnival 186: Math Stories Every Playful Math Blog Carnival brings you a great new collection of puzzles, math conversations, teaching tips, and all sorts of mathy fun. It’s like a free online magazine of mathematical adventures, helpful and inspiring no matter when you read them. What are you waiting for? Come join the fun! Click Here to Read the Carnival Blog CREDITS: Feature photo (top) copyright © David Butler.

Writing to Learn Math: What did the author mean? Put the thought in your own words. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: …

“Puzzles are made of the things that the mathematician, no less than the child, plays with, and dreams and wonders about, for they are made of things and circumstances of the world he lives in.” —Edward Kasner Long ages ago, one of the greatest mathematicians of all time played with a children’s puzzle. The puzzle was called “The Ivory Challenge”—or something like that, translations vary.

This game builds mental math skills in young students, and is fun for all ages. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Shut the Box (Cards)

Writing to Learn Math: Research prompts help students view math as a human endeavor. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: Notice. Wonder. Create.

“The value of a problem is not so much coming up with the answer as in the ideas and attempted ideas it forces on the would-be solver.” —I. N. Herstein Whenever I give a problem or puzzle in an Alexandria Jones story, I’ll try to post the answer soon afterward. But don’t peek! In the old days of my snail mail newsletters, the answers always came in the next issue, so students had two months to let the puzzle ruminate without temptation.

This game gives students a fun reason to think about calculating with exponents. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Power Up Math Concepts: powers (exponents).

Writing to Learn Math: When students learn to visualize shapes, designs, and patterns, it makes them better at math. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: …

“One factor that has remained constant through all the twists and turns of the history of physical science is the decisive importance of the mathematical imagination.” —Freeman Dyson In the previous episode, Alexandria Jones discovered a mysterious treasure: three wooden sticks, like tent pegs, and a long loop of rope with 12 evenly spaced knots. Her father explained that it was an ancient Egyptian surveyor’s tool, used to mark right angles.

This game builds number sense and a playful approach to math. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Next-Door Neighbors Math Concepts: number properties, numbers within 100.

And now for something completely different… The intrepid Quote Investigator played around with math recently: “You know, people think that mathematics is complicated. Mathematics is the simple bit. It’s the stuff we can understand. It’s cats that are complicated.” —John Horton Conway It reminded me of one of my favorite homeschooling exercises: I would write out a short paragraph, all lower-case with no punctuation (and usually including some misspellings and grammar errors) on a whiteboard.

This game uses the area model to visualize and build understanding of integer multiplication. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Grid Fight Math Concepts:

Writing to Learn Math: Problem-solving cares less about whether an answer is right and more about whether a solution makes sense. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: …

“I am inclined to believe that one of the origins of mathematics is man’s playful nature, and for this reason mathematics is not only a Science, but to at least the same extent also an Art.” —Rózsa Péter This week, we have the first mathematical adventure of Alexandria Jones, which takes place in the early days of her father’s archaeological expedition mentioned in…

This game requires students to make logical deductions about number relationships. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Digit Disguises Math Concepts: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, algebraic reasoning.

Writing to Learn Math: What did the author mean? Put the thought in your own words. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: …

“Using mathematics to tell stories and using stories to explain mathematics are two sides of the same coin. They join what should never have separated: the scientist’s and the artist’s ways of uncovering truths about the world.” —William Frucht It began with some 4th-8th grade friends who met in my dining room to work math puzzles and play games. At first, a few of the kids wondered how anyone could have fun with math.

This game takes strategic thinking and planning ahead, and it makes a great journaling prompt, too. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Walter Joris’s Sequencium…

Writing to Learn Math: When students create their own math, they forge a personal connection to mathematical concepts and relationships. And it’s fun! Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: …

“I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.” —Socrates “There is no education but self-education and only as the young student works with his own mind is anything effected.” —Charlotte Mason Two great teachers of the past agree that a child’s mind is no bucket. We cannot shovel in whatever information we please and call that “learning.”

From the very first review of my new book, Charlotte Mason’s Living Math: "This book gives parents permission to believe that mathematics is something children can reason about, wonder about, discuss, investigate, and enjoy. "It invites parents to treat children as people who have mathematical ideas worth listening to. "For many parents, that shift in orientation will be far more valuable than another collection of lesson plans. —Sonya Post

This game builds visual thinking skills. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Symmetry Challenge Math Concepts: symmetry, geometry. Players: only two. Equipment: graph paper or blank hundred chart, colored pencils or markers.

Writing to Learn Math: Writing helps students stretch their thinking and make sense of new ideas. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: Notice. Wonder.

One of my favorite rabbit-trails to explore in middle school math is the science of counting and probability. It’s a great topic because the calculations are relatively easy, mostly multiplication and division. But there’s a lot of thinking that goes into figuring out just what calculations we need to do. Counting is not only for little kids! It’s part of…

This game builds understanding of decimals, and also of the inverse relationship between multiplication and division. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Decimal Product Game…

Writing to Learn Math: At its heart, geometry is all about seeing connections and relationships. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: Notice. Wonder. Create.

The long-awaited deluxe, full-color edition of Charlotte Mason's Living Math is now available exclusively on my Playful Math Store in paperback and hardcover (and ebook, too). Hooray! If you'd like to know more about the book, check out my interview with Cindy Rollins on The New Mason Jar podcast: S11E144: Charlotte Mason’s Living Math with Denise Gaskins ...and here's the book description:

The following is an excerpt from Charlotte Mason’s Living Math, coming to your favorite bookstore or library this November. But if you’re impatient---or if you want the exclusive, deluxe, full-color paperback or hardcover edition---you can order your copy now on my Playful Math Store. This section comes from the chapter called “How Shall We Teach?” which also includes tips about textbooks, a little-known truth about the math facts, and what to do if you never understood math yourself.

This game builds calculations skills and helps develop fluency. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Bowling Math Concepts: addition, subtraction, multistep calculation, column addition (for final score).

Writing to Learn Math: What did the author mean? Put the thought in your own words. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: …

I love math puzzles, and Henry Ernest Dudeney is the foremost puzzlemeister of all time. Whenever I need a diversion from the pressing day-to-day busyness of life, I like to crack open one of his books. And get humbled. He stumps me as often as not, but I enjoy the challenge. Today, I’ve got two of his somewhat-easier puzzles from…

This game pushes students to consider area and perimeter beyond the basic shapes. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Area Battle Math Concepts: area, square units, perimeter, regular and irregular polygons.

Writing to Learn Math: Measurement is our way of connecting numbers to the things we find in the world, in daily life. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: …

This post is adapted from my book Let’s Play Math: How Families Can Learn Math Together—and Enjoy It. Do you ever take your kids’ math tests? It helps me remember what it is like to be a student. I push myself to work quickly, trying to finish in about 1/3 the allotted time, to mimic the pressure students feel. And whenever I do this, I find myself prone to the same stupid mistakes that students make.

This game challenges players to make logical deductions about number permutations. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Codebreaker Math Concepts: permutations, logical deduction. Players:

Writing to Learn Math: You can spark creative thought by removing any need to worry about spelling or punctuation rules. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: …

Homeschool Memories Conversion factors are special fractions that contain problem-solving information. Why are they called conversion factors? “Conversion” means change, and conversion factors help you change the numbers and units in your problem. “Factors” are things you multiply with. So to use a conversion factor, you will multiply it by something. For instance, if I am driving an average of 60 mph on the highway, I can use that rate as a conversion factor.

This game builds conceptual understanding of multiplication or fraction models. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Math Model Rummy Math Concepts: multiplication or fraction models.

Cindy Rollins, Dawn Duran, and I had a delightful chat about my new book, Charlotte Mason's Living Math, which is now available in ebook (print editions coming soon!) at my Playful Math Store. We talked about how math is a whole world full of big, living ideas that we can explore with our children. What it means to have a living education in math, opening our children's minds to big ideas about the relationships of numbers, shapes, and patterns.

Writing to Learn Math: Games are the ultimate re-playable activity prompts. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: Notice. Wonder. Create.

In my new book, Charlotte Mason’s Living Math, I encourage families to explore the world of math by asking big, open-ended questions. Here’s an example of such a question, an excerpt from my earlier book, 70+ Things To Do with a Hundred Chart: Number, Shape, and Logic Activities from Preschool to Middle School. Have fun exploring math with your kids!

This game makes children think about multiplication and notice how prime numbers are special. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Tax Collector Math Concepts:

Writing to Learn Math: What did the author mean? Put the thought in your own words. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: …

Nim is a pure strategy game for two players. On each turn, players remove an option until finally no choice remains. Game options might include: How many stones to take from a pile. Which position to claim on a gameboard. How far to count in a given sequence. The rules can vary at the players’ whim (as long as both players agree).

This game helps students make sense of those confusing rules about multiplication with inequalities. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Greater Than Math Concepts:

Writing to Learn Math: When students create their own math, they forge a personal connection to mathematical concepts and relationships. And it’s fun! Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: …

Isn’t it fun when children surprise us with their understanding? All my children have figured out ways to do things in math that I would never have expected, and I’ve learned quite a bit from listening to their explanations. But what if the child’s creative method makes it hard for them to learn what our textbook wants to teach?

This classic family game is a great way to play with numbers and logical strategy. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. So what are you waiting for? Let's play some math! Dominoes Math Concepts: