Here are some useful resources for teaching children to add.
There are animated addition gifs and ideas to make learning to add fun. Also, there are descriptions of the addition sections of some of the Maths CD-ROMs which my children use and links to other sites which provide information on early addition.
Learning basic addition can sometimes be a dreary task. Here are some ideas to stimulate your children's interest in maths.
Count snack foods! Not healthy, but guaranteed to be fun. eg Line up 3 cheezels, add 2 more.
Add a variety of objects. Use toys, marbles, toy animals, etc, etc.
Print off addition worksheets from the internet - see the sites listed below. Work through the sums together using objects, so that your children get the idea. Make it fun. Set aside some time so that there is no pressure to find the answers quickly.
Make your own "money" out of cardboard and paper. Draw an outline around real coins, cut out the cardboard coins and colour them in. Encourage your children to write the numbers on the dollars and coins. Then start adding the values of the coins. eg Add two one dollar coins together.
Show your children the animated addition gifs on this site.
Visit the zoo and count the various animals. When you get to a cage or enclosure, work out how many animals are inside it. As hidden animals emerge, add them to the total.
Combine learning to tell the time with learning to add. Look at the clock and work out what time it is. Add 1 hour and decide to do something at that time. Set the alarm clock or the oven alarm to go off in one hour's time. Then do the "something" that you planned to do when the alarm goes off. eg At 9 o'clock, add 1 hour, what time will it be? 10 o'clock - morning tea-time! Set the alarm to go off at 10 o'clock. When it does, eat morning tea.
Math Blaster
(Knowledge Adventure)
Addition Section: Number Line
Click on a number on the number line eg 8. Then click on a number further along eg 10 and the sum will be shown on a slate above the number line. ie 8 +2 10
This game also shows the number of objects beside each number. This section also illustrates subtraction.
Addition Section: Planet Countalonia - Pester Whacking Time
Use Level 2. A sum is shown at the top of the page. eg 1 + 2 = ? The number of objects is shown underneath each number. Pesters (monsters) pop up out of holes in the ground. Your child must find the pester with the correct answer and whack it on the head with a hammer! Although this sounds violent, this is a very good game. There is a number line at the bottom of the page so your child can work out the answer and also, the value of the numbers is clearly illustrated by the amount of objects shown. Level 3 features subtraction.
Addition Section: Worms
Click on the worm's head and pull him up so that he gets taller ie he has more segments. Add up the segments by counting the segments of the green worm and the segments of the red worm. The equation is shown as:
Green Worm + Red Worm = Total Worm The Total Worm has all the green worm's segments and all the red worm's segments. Each sum is shown at the bottom of the page and has a maximum value of 20. Click on the Blaster button and see the blaster problems on the board. Very good illustration of addition. This section also has subtraction.
Addition Section: Planet ToeTall - Puppet Theatre
Follow the story of Glorius Skelactica on her journey to visit Granny. She carries golden eggs in her basket and as she walks along, she meets various characters. Your child helps to tell the story by selecting the characters that Glorius meets. Some characters give Glorius eggs to add to those in her basket, others take them from her. Your child must solve the sum. If the answer is too low, the audience cries out "Not enough!" If too many, the audience cries out "Too many!" The audience cheers when your child gets the correct answer. The basket is shown as the child solves the problem.
Math Rabbit
aka Reader Rabbit's Math 1
(The Learning Company)
Addition Section: The Sealion Show
Math Rabbit asks a maths problem eg 2 + 1 = ? Sealions are lined up balancing balls on their noses. Your child must choose the ball which has the answer to the maths problem. When the correct ball is selected, a musical sound is played. When the answer is wrong, Math Rabbit says "Whoops!" When all of the problems are correctly solved, your child earns 1 ticket which may be spent at the Prize Centre. Level 1 features Numbers 1 - 12. Level 2 features Numbers 1 - 18. This game is entirely symbolic ie no objects are shown next to the numbers to illustrate their value. Also includes subtraction.
Addition Section: The Tightrope Show
Math Rabbit presents a maths problem. Your child must click on the elephant if the problem equals the number shown and click on the water if the problem doesn't equal the number shown. Math Rabbit says "Oops!" when the answer is wrong. Four correct answers earns your child 1 ticket which he can spend at the Prize Centre. This game is entirely symbolic. Level 3 features Numbers 1 - 10. Level 4 features Numbers 1 - 15. Also includes subtraction, greater than and less than and counting.
Addition Section: Let's Match Numbers Behind Balloons
Pop the balloons to reveal a maths problem and answers to these problems. Your child must match the maths problem to its correct answer. When all the problems and answers are matched, he earns 1 ticket. Level 2 features Numbers 1 - 18. Maths problems are of the form 10 + 5. Level 3 features Numbers 1 - 18. Maths problems are of the form
6 +2 8 Has subtraction also.
Millie's Math House
(Edmark)
Addition Section: What's My Number?
Dorothy the Duck asks your child to solve sums by adding objects to the stage. Lots of praise, good graphics and clearly shows addition. This section also has subtraction and counting.
Sesame Street Get Set to Learn
(Creative Wonders)
Addition Section: Dunk or Dare.
Oscar the Grouch asks your child to add more pickles, rotten apples or stinky cheese to a barrel of water in order to get the required number. Correct answers result in dunking Telly Monster into a tank of water or winning a prize. This section also includes Subtraction. A lot of fun and clearly shows the objects and the meaning of addition.
