Math can be difficult because it is so abstract. Make math more concrete and easy to understand; Let the child feel and manipulate the pegs on thed from Discovery Toys as he solves problems.
The Giant Pegboard grows with the child. Two- and three-year-olds use it to learn about colors, counting and matching, and to improve gross motor and fine motor co-ordination. Fours, fives and sixes have fun with it as they learn about patterns, spatial relationships, addition and subtraction.
Here are some ideas to get you started.
1. Follow a pattern - begin with an empty board. Ask the child to watch as you place a red, a blue, and another red peg in a row on the board. Ask him what comes next. If he hesitates, point to each of the pegs on the board, saying "red, blue, red" and wait a short time for him to answer "blue". If he is confused, point to a blue peg and say, "How about blue!" Have him add the blue peg to the row on the board. Now ask again "what comes next" and help him choose red.
Also teach patterning by stacking pegs. As the child learns these concepts, challenge him with different patterns such as "1 yellow, 1 green, 1 blue" or "1 red, 2 yellow". Make these longer patterns in a stack or put pegs upside-down in a single row on the table.
2. Copy a pattern - make a pattern with two colors across the top of the board or in a stack. Ask the child to make a row or stack just like yours. Be sure to give lots of praise and encouragement as he places each peg. After he can copy patterns using two colors, make them more complicated by using three, four, then all five colors.
3. Spatial relationships - make a game of learning about left, right, top, bottom, up, and down. Ask the child to put 2 yellow pegs at the top of the board, 1 green peg on the left side, three blue pegs at the bottom. Add other concepts and fun to this game by using words such as beside, above, below, over and under.
4. Addition - place two pegs in a stack or row and say, "I have two pegs." Pick up another peg and say, "I have one more peg". Put it on the stack and have the child count to see how many are there now. Restate the problem and write "2 and 1 are 3" on a chalkboard or dry erase board. Repeat with different numbers. As he gets the idea, let him add the pegs and then find the answer.
If the child is working in a math book and is having difficulty with addition concepts, use the pegs as counters as he works the problems.
5. Subtraction - When the child is comfortable with addition, it's time to start subtraction. Subtraction is just the reverse of addition; the teaching process is the reverse also. Invite the child to "take away" pegs from the stack or row and count to find the answer. Always state the complete problem and write it on the chalkboard before moving on to another one.
Teaching with the Giant Pegboard should always be fun. Make up games and give them names; the child will ask to play them again and again. You'll be amazed at what the child can learn with one basic toy!
Carla Ruschival - Carla Ruschival is a teacher, writer, radio talk show host, meeting planner, and advocate. She co-ordinated an adult education program for ...
