26 Awesome and Fun Math Ideas for Struggling Students

With the summer vacation just around the corner, it will be important to implement some mathematics over the break to avoid the "summer slide." The "summer slide" is a term used to describe the loss of academic skills and knowledge over the course of the summer holiday.  In fact, young learners can lose from 2-6 months of instruction.

How Do We Entice Young Math Learners to Keep Their Skills Sharp?
When I work with students over the summer months, the key to my success is to integrate fun activities and games into all of my lessons.  I not only want to maintain each student's current knowledge, but the summertime is a wonderful opportunity to review concepts students that may have missed or preview topics to get them ahead.  Here are a few simple options that can get you up and running:
  1. Create a fun and creative math manual that implements memory strategies.
  2. Use online math tools, sites, and apps such as Nessy Numbers, and Math Playground.
  3. Use the free math site, Khan Academy, for outstanding lessons, activities and more.
  4. Use coloring activities that integrate math concepts such as coloring shapes and basic addition and subtraction.
  5. Get dot to dot activities that help young students develop their sequential skills.
  6. Develop math reasoning with sudoku activities.
  7. Make the learning or review process fun by associating math activities with pleasantries such as favorite foods or a special math nook with comfortable pillows.  
  8. Use my multisensory math lessons, activities and games: 
    1. Fractions are Fun Animated PP Lesson and PDF Activities download
    2. Fraction Games Hockey, Golf, Bowling, Shuffleboard & Stair Toss Download
    3. Monster Long Multiplication Multiplication Digital Download
    4. Multisensory Multiplication and Division to Melodies Digital Download
    5. Kangaroo Hop Metric Conversion Lesson and Games Digital Download
    6. Place Value Game and Instruction: Place Value Panic Digital Down
    7. Place Value Golf, Hockey, Bowling, Shuffleboard and Stair Toss Digital Download
    8. Rounding Rainbow Math Digital Download
    9. Quantitative and Spatial Puzzles: Beginners Digital Download
    10. The Number Ladder: Turning the Number Line Top to Bottom Digital Download
    11. Angles Lesson, Memory Strategies, and Activities PowerPoint Download
    12. Following Directions the Fun and Easy Way Real Numbers Download
    13. Measurement Memory Strategies PowerPoint Digital Download
    14. My Pet PEMDAS Elementary Math Digital Download
    15. Integer Ladder: Instruction, Activities and Games Digital Download
    16. Multiples and LCM Made Easy with Millipedes Digital Download
    17. Money Game Piggy Banking Digital Download
    18. Mathemagic: Mastering Factoring and Multiples
    19. Tap Math Games and More
I'm always happy to address any questions or help my audience find the needed materials.  Reach out any time!  

Cheers, Erica
Dr. Erica Warren, Learning Specialist & Educational Therapist

Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator, and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning. She is also the director of Learning to Learn and Learning Specialist Courses.

· Blog www.learningspecialistmaterials.blogspot.com
· YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/warrenerica1
· Podcast: https://godyslexia.com/
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