Let's Play Math: How Families Can Learn Math Together and Enjoy It

Amazing resource for parents to teach math

I love Denise Gaskin's "Let's Play Math" and recommend it as often as I can. Her approach is both highly conceptual in that it explains the math concepts clearly and accurately without gimmicks and playful at the same time. She opens up showing why using FOIL (first, outside, inside, last) stunts conceptual learning and shows what the intent of FOIL actually does by breaking up a rectangle. Using the more conceptual approach, a student knows what is going on and won't burn out as they go on to more complex equations.I personally felt rejuvenated, committed, and inspired after reading her work. She says plainly what I needed to hear: children learn best with one-on-one involvement from an adult. Knowing she has researched so many math programs, books, and websites, I feel extremely confident in the approach she puts forward. I don't feel like I need to try this or that approach. The high quality games she recommends are well worth my time--and my children love them.My 6-year-old absolutely loves trying to trick me, his mom, one of Gaskin's recommendations--and he often both tricks me and beats me at math games. We love playing a game where we try to get to a number, such as the number 6, using a calculator. Try to get to 6 from 9, now 3, now -1, now -923,145. I was stunned my first grader could do this, and I was inspired by Gaskins to do challenges like this. I also found my son did not want to do worksheets or write anything down but when we did verbal challenges like this, his skills were very advanced.I want to see her work spread far and wide and if this review can help, I am happy to write it. Please don't hesitate to buy this book!Amber (author of "Misbehavior is Growth: An Observant Parent's Guide to the Toddler Years")

A very interesting and easy reading book about maths. Lot's of ideas for activities to do both at home and in the school. Good food for thought!!

This book is a creative and inspring challenge to the way maths is usually taught in school. It is packed full of ideas and resources to help children (and definitely adults too!) develop their learning about the art of numbers. In a culture where maths anxiety is now a diagnosable problem, this book shows the way to maths joy.I bought Let's Play Math because I am home educating my 6 year old daughter and wanting to get more confident with maths as her interest in numbers and ideas was growing. I know the way maths is usually taught in schools is limited and unhelpful but I didn't know what the alternative was. Denise Gaskins writes in a very clear, encouraging way, offering games and resources that my daughter loves. Reading this has changed the way I think about maths forever and I feel so much better resourced to support my daughter and her friends to explore the exciting world of maths.This book is written for home educators and I believe it is an essential resource for us all. However I think it is also hugely relevant for school teachers and other educators - it could revolutionise the way maths is taught to children.

Great ideas and very well researched information.