This free math video is of me introducing teen numbers to my 4-year-old. She already knew how to count past 20, but that doesn’t mean she knows what those numbers actually mean or that she understands place value! Cuisenaire Rods help children see the structure in our number system. They are visual and kinesthetic, therefore, information learned while using them is stored more easily in the brain.
Tag Archives: kindergarten
Preschool and Kindergarten Concepts
The Puzzle Game
The thing I like about the game in this free math video is that you can get in a lot of number bonds practice in a very small amount of time. When a child is first learning the Cuisenaire Rods, there is no need to mention any number names or the word “subtraction.” Just seeing the color combinations is enough. Once the child knows the number names of the rods you can start using those in your conversation as you play. Notice the many ways I talk about the number bond combinations in the video. Sometimes I say something like, “Three and what make seven?” or, “What goes with three to make seven,” and sometimes I say, “Seven minus what is three?”
Don’t forget to have fun! My 4-year-old loves that she “beats me” every time we play this game! Doing this for 10 minutes per day for a week has proven great results!