Tip 37 - Prevent Summer Math Brain Drain - Fun free online number games for older children

Recent estimates are that school-age children can lose one or more  months of school skills during summer break. Last week I provided number games to help build mathematics skills in young children. This week, I am providing links to online number games for older children that are free and help prevent problems with mathematics and will be useful to keep mathematics skills sharp during summer months. The free computer games have been taken from a list provided courtesy of Stanislas Dehaene in his newly revised and expanded, June 2011, edition of "The Number Sense".

Number Race - Kg through Grade 1  (7 - 9 years for children who are struggling with mathematics) - http://www.unicog.org/numberrace/number_race_index.html
Description - (available at the website)

The Number Race software may also be useful for prevention of math problems, or to teach number sense in kindergarten children without specific learning disabilities. The software was developed  by Anna Wilson and Stanislas Dehaene, and is based on current knowledge of the brain circuits underlying numerical cognition. Details of the design of the software are published in Behavioral and Brain Functions:
Wilson, A. J., Dehaene, S., Pinel, P., Revkin, S. K., Cohen, L., & Cohen, D. (2006). Principles underlying the design of “the number race”, an adaptive computer game for remediation of dyscalculia. Behavioral and Brain Functions, 2(19).

Other math games - Ages vary
http://low-numeracy.ning.com/

The Numberbonds game.

The Time game

The Chicks Test game.

The Dots2Track game

Allowances are mathematics too! Keep in mind also, that helping your child count, save and budget using a weekly or monthly allowance is a wonderful way to practice addition and subtracting. Setting up a simple spread-sheet for your school-aged child and keeping balances after purchases is wonderful training for learning to manage money as well as useful practice with numerical calculations. And money management is also a great way to work on self-discipline -- a very important component of executive function skill.

Tip 37 - There are many fun ways to prevent summer mathematics brain drain - from free online games for younger children to simple spread sheets for managing an allowance for older children.