MathJam: Domino Games the Whole Family Can Play

Domino's: Fun for the whole family! 

Does your family have a hard time finding a game everyone can play?  Have no fear. Dominos are here!  Of course, you can always play a traditional game of Domino's, but depending on your children's age range, some of your kids could enjoy the game, and some of them could end up chewing on the bones.  With the following adaptions, your family could be spending your next Friday night playing a lively game of Math'minos.

Basic Rules to Math'minos: 

Each player receives 10 dominos, or enough for everyone to have an equal amount with some still left in the middle. Set a timer. The time may very depending on your child's abilities.  Start with the standard 1 minute and adjust to your family's desire. Each player completes their age appropriate task during the time given.  If a player completes her tasks before the clock runs out, she may trade for new dominos from the center.  After the buzzer goes off, the player with the most completed tasks wins the round.  Continue the game for as long as you are having fun.

Here are some examples of Age Appropriate Tasks:

Toddlers

Stacking and Lining: 

Children as young as 8 months love stacking blocks. Babies can stack dominos on top of each other like a tower. As your young one grows, she can line up the blocks next to each other.  Two year olds will enjoy counting as they stack, and may even like watching the dominos fall.

Preschoolers

Each player preschool level and above should have a writing tool (crayon and paper or wipe board and marker).   If your child can’t complete these suggested tasks on her own but is interested in attempting them, team her up with an adult or older sibling.  Or modify the tasks to your child's abilities.

Counting and writing numbers.

One to one counting is a developmental milestone for young learners. So is knowing when to stop counting and remembering which dots have already been counted.  Writing the corresponding number that is represented on the domino is yet a 3rd skill that can be practiced during this game. 

Kindergarteners

Making a math sentences

Each domino has two numbers represented. A domino with 2 dots in one square and 5 dots in the other can be written out as 2+5=7. This is a Math sentence.  Remember, every math sentence can be written 2 ways as addition and 2 ways as subtraction!  *Older children can write multiplication and division sentences.

Elementary and beyond

Writing opposite problems

Use the numbers represented on the domino's to write an addition problem and a subtraction problem.  Using the same numbers to make both an addition and subtraction problem is making opposite problems. It is also a pre algebra skill.

10’s place and 1’s place 

Instead of treating each square of the domino as 2 separate numbers, treat them as parts of a double digit number.  Before picking the dominos, your child should draw the 10's and the 1's space charts on her paper.  When the timer starts, your child should write the digits represented on the domino in the chart on her paper, then show what number that will create.  

Each domino can represent two 2 digit numbers.

Adding and Subtracting 2 Digit Numbers

Pick 2 dominos at a time to create math problems using 2 digit numbers.  Encourage both adding and subtracting.

As any elementary school teacher will tell you, the greatest challenge in teaching math is making it fun.  You can foster your child’s love of Math at home. Always remember that you are your child’s first and best teacher and that learning begins at home.

LibraryJam: Picking books for Native American Heritage Month.

November is Native American Heritage Month

While you're visiting your local library this month, please keep in mind that November is Native American History Month.  Some  great books to look for are; Remember Me: Tomah Joseph's Gift to Franklin Roosevelt by Donald Soctomah, Jean Flahive; Muwin and the Magic Hare by Susan Hand Shetterly and The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie DePaola.  A more through list of books depicting the many Native American cultures can be found at The Children’s Literature Network.  

Visit www.oyate.com if you have any concerns in picking a culturally appropriate book for your little ones. This thorough web site is a wonderful resource to visit.  The Books to Avoid tab does not list titles for you to boycott, but instead lists a series of questions to ask yourself, encouraging you to critically think about the literature you choose to share with your children.  

For adult reading, the website contains a First Thanksgiving Myth and Facts page.  This knowledge can help you to orally edit any books your child comes across regarding the common American story and the national holiday.

For Americans, November is a time of giving thanks. It is an opportunity for us as parents to teach gratitude for what we have and to appreciate the sacrifices of those who came before us.  We at KinderJam hope you and your family have a safe and healthy Thanksgiving!

BabyJam: Get creative with Tummy Time.

Tummy time is Fun time!

Many new parents struggle with tummy time.  The importance of tummy time is reported by doctors, baby blogs and media, however, putting baby on his tummy while he cries for 5 or more minutes is more than most new mommies can handle.

Prior generations put new born babies on their tummies to sleep, providing 8 or more daily hours of time on the stomach.  After the American Academy of Pediatrics began the Back to Sleep campaign in 1994, which decreased the incidence of SIDS by 50%, pediatricians noticed delays in American babies’ development. 

About the same time the Back to Sleep campaign began, products became widely available to the consumer such as the car seat travel system and portable baby swing.  These products are now common place in the American house hold because of their convenience .  Due to these new products and the Back to Sleep campaign, babies spent more and more time, not only on their backs, but also in a contoured position, restricting muscle movement.

Consequently, many babies experienced delays in reaching major milestones such as holding up her head, and pushing up with arms.  These milestones are so important because they are prerequisites to crawling, tracking and other brain and motor developing experiences.  It is vital that babies experience time on their tummies where they can explore and practice using their muscles and coordination.  

The term “tummy time” was created to encourage parents to provide free movement playtime on the stomach for baby.  Tummy time is meant to be fun exploration time, but for many babies, tummy time feels like torture time.  You can make tummy time more fun for baby by adding some creative changes your baby might like.

Lying on your back and cuddling with baby tummy to tummy, especially during the new born stages, provides the same opportunities for muscular exploration that it would if baby were on a mat on the floor.  Add baby message as a part of your daily routine to add extra time on babies tummy.  As baby grows, add tummy time games like airplane, sing songs or make silly faces while baby is on your knees or in your arms, making tummy time bonding time for your and baby.