Math curriculum for toddlers?

[Stodd]

My son is 3.5 years old and even thought I've been doing different things with him I don't have as much time as I had earlier so I would need some help. That would be nice to find some free curriculum so that would save some time for me preparing for the math lessons. Thanks in advance.

[Korrale4kq]

MEP is free and a lot of people like it.

We personally are going with a Right Start Math approach. But I also use Stuart Murphy books and create accompanying games to increase concept understand. You can get many of his books at a local library.

[Mandabplus3]

We are using right start too. Not free. Perhaps Marshmellow Math would work for you. It's a book ( you will need to buy) that shows ways to teach early math concepts around the house. Not to much time involved.

[nee1]

Hi Stodd,

I got a lot of ideas from this thread: http://forum.brillkids.com/teaching-your-child-math/what-are-you-doing-with-your-2-year-olds-for-math/

1) So basically, based on the recommendations on that thread,  I got the MarshMallow Math book. (Mandabplus3 suggested that book on this thread; thank you so much Mandab).  MarshMallow Math is a very good book, and I found previews on here:  http://marshmallowmath.com/.    You can check out the table of contents, a sample chapter, and general information about the book on that website. It's not expensive (I got my copy on amazon.co.uk) and it will help a lot.

2) So, when we're done with MarshMallow Math and I'm sure that the basics have been mastered, I'll move to Saxon Math 5/4. It's a 4th grade book, but I reckon a child that has been properly grounded in math fundamentals should be able to start Saxon 5/4. I have the Saxon book, and reading through the book, I know what the child is supposed to learn beforehand if we are to have success with Saxon. So I'm currently working to ensure that knowledge is mastered.

3) There's also MEP, suggested by Korrale4kq. It's FREE, and here is the link: http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/primary/default.htm.   Check out the links for your child's age group and ability level. You'll need to print out the worksheets and so on. I haven't used it yet, but loads of parents on this forum have found very good success with it. So, that's one free curriculum whose validity I can vouch for.

4) And finally, read carefully the thread link I posted above, you'll get a lot of ideas there. (Thanks to everyone who posted on that thread; I'm finding the ideas very useful). Link again: http://forum.brillkids.com/teaching-your-child-math/what-are-you-doing-with-your-2-year-olds-for-math/.

I wish you all the best.
Nee

[Stodd]

Thank you so much for your help.

[Mandabplus3]

Née marshmallow math strait to Saxon 5/4? Wow, that's a big jump....I don't have Marshmellow math or Saxon 5/4 but if you reckon Marshmellow math will get them to Saxon 5/4 then I will buy it. I thought it was more pre kindy, math basics?

Later edit. I have both marshmallow math and saxon now and still think it's a big jump but both books are fabulous and worth the $$$

[Korrale4kq]

After reading some amazing reviews of marshmallow math I think I want to try it too. It kind of goes against right start. I was trying to avoid the emphasis on counting. But it says it is big on mental math anyways. And even has concepts, I find a lot of early math doesnt incorporate the concepts such as sorting and patterns because it is covered in basic preschool curricula.

[Mandabplus3]

Korrale4kq I am using rightstart but because my son is 4 we have had to add in the counting and numbers 11 to 20. Rather than 10-1 10-2 ...He starts school next year so he needs this knowledge or he will be underestimated by his teachers. He isn't finding it difficult to do both. ( but again he is 4) he can instantly recognize up to 6, we are working on instant recognition from 7 to 9 but he knows 10,20 etc. I just tell him when i want him to count and when i want him to be superfast. I will work on place value a bit more than the program suggests since I am using 11,12,13. Just to be sure.  Place value is incredibly important. I have helped struggling kids fly in math just from lots of place value work.
It is important to use a curriculum that doesn't think math is all numbers and nothing else. Patterns, time, measurement and space, geometry, pre algebra...... So many math concepts kids learn at school. Number is only 1/5th of it!

[Korrale4kq]

You know what I wish we had here in the US. Quad ruled books. Those things are amazing. I remember doing my math facts every morning in those books. Place value was never a struggle. We also did a lot of work with the base ten blocks. Our decimal system makes things a breeze too.

Here there is much more of an emphasis on fractions because of the imperial system. I excelled at math. Stopped doing math in grade ten, but I tutored people in grade 12 math C. (hardest HS math). I currently tutor a 4/5th grader in math and reading and I often have to give myself a little refresher on fractions.

[Eliana]

Just ordered Marshmallow Math on my Kindle reader. I am excited to start trying out some of the activities. Thanks for the link, Nee!

[nee1]

Née marshmallow math strait to Saxon 5/4? Wow, that's a big jump....I don't have Marshmellow math or Saxon 5/4 but if you reckon Marshmellow math will get them to Saxon 5/4 then I will buy it. I thought it was more pre kindy, math basics?

Hi Mandab,

I got the Saxon Math 54 book because I love planning in things in advance, long before they will be needed. And the book had come highly recommended by several people. E.g. in the first edition of The Well Trained Mind book, the book came highly recommended. And I searched past threads on this forum using keyword ‘Saxon Math 54’ and most parents recommended it highly too. And also Robert Levy, father of math prodigy, David Levy, praised Saxon to the skies. And he recommended parents buy the 3rd edition, not the latest one, i.e., that parents buy this one:  http://www.amazon.com/Saxon-Math-5-Stephen-Hake/dp/1565775031/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338723096&sr=1-1,  with ISBN Number  1565775031. And you can read the reviews of other parents and those of Robert Levy about that book on that web page too.
For people in the US, the book is even cheaper if you buy it used. I'm in the UK and I got my copy on abebooks.co.uk, it was far cheaper than buying from amazon.co.uk. I bought it used, and it cost only a few pounds.

So basically, after reading the first few chapters of the Saxon Math 54 book, I decided I needed something as a bridge gap before we plunge into Saxon. And Marshmallow Math seems to fit the bill, at least it gave me ideas on how to go about organising manipulatives. And to be honest, the Saxon Math 54 book will not be difficult for early learning children such as we have on this forum, cos they've already been exposed to loads of math concepts from an early age. And remember, school grade recommendations are merely that; the fact that a book says 4th grade does not mean younger kids cannot tackle it. Kids on this forum are reading at 4th grade level at very young ages, so math should not be different.

So I use Marshmallow Math, not as an end in itself, but as a means to an end. In other words, I use Marshmallow Math as a means to get us to tackling Saxon Math 5/4 successfully.

1) Here is Table of Contents for Marshmallow Math (as found on MarshMallow Math website):  http://marshmallowmath.com/MarshmallowMathTOC.pdf
2) And I’ve attached below the Table of Contents for Saxon Math 5/4.

All the best,
Nee

[Mandabplus3]

Now that I have read throughout he table of contents for both it makes much more sense. Marshmellow math really has no ceiling so knowing that Saxon 5/4 is your end goal will enable you to use Marshmellow math ideas up to that level. Very clever thinking, saves you about 3 years worth of textbooks    I like this thinking. Also Saxon does begin with a fair amount of review from the previous years books ( I assume this based on the amount of grade 3 work in the beginning of the 5/4 book)
I have no doubt as to the ability of the kids doing early math learning. My surprise was the " apparent" gap between a preschool course to a grade 4 course. But I can see what you are doing now. I would never have considered it had you not mentioned it. Personally all my kids are working 1-3 years above their year level in math ( to be frank it isn't my strong teaching area  ) so I don't make any assumptions based on age or year level. Oh at school they don't work above their year level...it was interesting to hear my oldest child's teacher say to me " oh she did really well, much better than I expected she would" when letting me know how she coped with our national math test ( Naplan)   My daughter told me there was one hard question! sigh.
So I have been researching Saxon for a while. Discovering as you did just how many successful children use it. It is very expensive to get to Australia. It is also very confusing to determine what I need without seeing a book.  Could I ask for your advice? We need the level 5/4 and the next one up  I think. Is the student book enough to work with? Or is a teacher version needed.   I am assuming a digital copy isn't available as I havnt seen it anywhere.
I think a toddler curriculum using Marshmellow or rightstart that leads into Saxon would make for a great little mathematician. Saxon seems to line up very well with the school curriculum over the long term.

[nee1]

Hi Mandab,


I'm not using the teacher's manual for Saxon Math 54 or Saxon Math 65, and yes, I think the student copies are enough to work with. And I don't think Saxon Math 54, 65, and other higher grades have teachers manual. They have solution manuals, which according to reviewers on amazon.com, comprises solutions to the math problems, and in most people's opinions, are usually not needed, as Saxon 54 and Saxon 65 are usually basic math.

Basically,  I used the advice of Robert Levy posted here: http://www.amazon.com/review/REDQUKUP25PSG/ref=cm_cr_pr_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1565775031&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=#wasThisHelpful.
 
First, read his review on that page of how he used Saxon 54, and then scroll down to his response to comments by ‘G. Armstrong’.  Levy recommends that at the Saxon 54 and Saxon 65 level, the solution manual will not be needed, and I agree, as the Saxon 54 and 65 math is mostly basic. Maybe one might need solution manuals at the Saxon 76 level, I don't know yet as I do not have a copy of Saxon Math 76.

If anything, I would recommend you check through Saxon Math 54 first, work through the problems with the child, and decide if you'll need to buy a solution manual. In my opinion, that may not be necessary.

[Korrale4kq]

Manda...

Not sure if Abebooks will ship to Australia.
I searched the isbn recommended.

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=1565775031&sts=t&x=75&y=12

[Stodd]

Thanks Nee1 the add info. I've just ordered Marshmallow. Can't wait to start.

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