For our math curriculum, I just started my almost five year old with some simple addition. I made some flash cards and have him work through each equation on his own. After he gets the right answer, he is to repeat the equation and the correct answer three times so he can commit it to memory. We usually do about 2-3 new cards each day, with plenty of review.

This evening, just before his bedtime, I played an impromptu train game with him using these math flash cards. He is the train and I’m the train station. In order to go past the train station, he must pick up a ticket (the math flash card) and answer the equation correctly, i.e. a valid ticket. Each time he gets the equation wrong, he has to work it out correctly on his own and then repeat the equation and the correct answer three times. He was so enthralled with this game and wanted to play on and on. Unfortunately, the train master (i.e. Daddy) said the train had to retire to the shed to get proper rest for the evening.
Prior to having him work on these math flash cards and memorize the addition table, I made sure he understood what the equation meant. I didn’t want him to simply memorize something (which he can do easily) without truly understanding the concept. We played a lot of counting games and used a lot of manipulatives. I bought a set of poker chips and an abacus just so that he could use them to grasp the concept of addition and counting.

On several occasions while sitting in the car, I would ask him questions such as, “Matthew, if there are two trees on the left and three trees on the right, how many trees do we have?” He usually loves answering these types of questions often tries to come up with his own questions.

There was a period where he didn’t want to do math and resisted. I simply backed off, knowing that he wasn’t ready. From time to time I would test the water and see if he was interested. Recently he has demonstrated a big interest in math and seems to take delight in doing math flash cards, especially when presented in the context of a game.

Several months back I had him do a math workbook, but decided to quit the workbook approach shortly thereafter. I found that he was able to do the math problems, but he seemed to not understand the concept the workbook was trying to teach. I didn’t want him to simply do the problems and think that he has grasped the concept and move on to the next lesson. I decided it was time to take a break from the workbook. I’m really glad that we stopped the workbook approach at that time because he is flourishing in my simpler approach in learning addition. I don’t think workbooks are a bad choice. I believe workbooks can provide an effective structured approach. However, every teacher must be perceptive and understand whether this approach works at the child’s particular stage of development. This is, of course, one of the most obvious benefits of homeschooling – customizing the education for the child’s pace. I am not abandoning the workbook altogether. I’m simply waiting for my boy to be ready.

I have found Ruth Beechick’s little pamphlet Easy Start in Arithmetic: Grades K-3 to be very helpful.