Even though it's only December, I'm looking ahead to the next school year (and mentally starting my wish list for the HS vendor fair ). Ds is 4 and will be turning 5 over the summer, so he would be starting Kg if he were in public school. When my DD (7) was 4, we did Singapore Earlybird and she learned her numbers and some math facts while learning to write the numbers. DS already has a good grasp of some math facts, knows his numbers, and will often answer DD's math word problems she's working on. He can't yet write the numbers and gets really frustrated trying. Looking forward to next year, I've been contemplating getting him the appropriate math book for his level (DD is using MUS) since he's been asking to do math with DD. I'm not really sure how to handle the writing aspect of it though. DO I just make him number stickers so he can do the work without having to write? Any great suggestions on how to keep him at the appropriate skill level when his fine motor skills are lagging?
Boys and fine motor skills
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I'd go for magnetic numbers instead of stickers, just b/c they're easier to reuse...or those foam numbers, or have him cut some out of construction paper, or use a pile of beads or beans or pennies, or make an abacus....
Or, if you want a method where he has to use some fine motor skills, make a sheet with all the numbers, make lots of copies (don't have to be full page), then have him circle, X, or underline the ones he wants to use (so you'd have a square of numbers from 1-20, or whatever, and he'd just put some sort of mark on the "right" answers). Hope that made sense.
Or, if you want a method where he has to use some fine motor skills, make a sheet with all the numbers, make lots of copies (don't have to be full page), then have him circle, X, or underline the ones he wants to use (so you'd have a square of numbers from 1-20, or whatever, and he'd just put some sort of mark on the "right" answers). Hope that made sense.
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A few ideas:
Let me dictate to you.
The book Games for Math by Peggy Kaye has a lot of good activities that don't involve handwriting.
Physical activities that include math - hopscotch, drawing a number line on the sidewalk and jumping out steps, adding and jumping out problems on a trampoline, simple board games, card games, cooking.
Work on developing motor skills in ways that don't involve handwriting - such as increasing upper body strength with wheelbarrow walking and tug of war. Increasing hand strength with working with play, popping bubble wrap, etc.
Let me dictate to you.
The book Games for Math by Peggy Kaye has a lot of good activities that don't involve handwriting.
Physical activities that include math - hopscotch, drawing a number line on the sidewalk and jumping out steps, adding and jumping out problems on a trampoline, simple board games, card games, cooking.
Work on developing motor skills in ways that don't involve handwriting - such as increasing upper body strength with wheelbarrow walking and tug of war. Increasing hand strength with working with play, popping bubble wrap, etc.
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5,262 Posts
imo, have him answer orally or use math manipulatives. if he wants to try and write the answer himself, let him... otherwise, you can simply write it for him. let his writing be a completely different subject from math if he's not ready for it, yk? stickers or stamps is also an option - but it may take longer. to help with his fine motor skills in regard to writing, i suggest two things we've used that have helped my son tremendously (he'll be 5 in march). 1) let him write in shaving cream at the table or on the kitchen floor (it cleans up easy) . my son loves this! we also use sand in a pan, or playdough to makes shapes, numbers, and letters. 2) break up crayons into halves or thirds. it's impossible to hold a crayon incorrectly if it's tiny... & it can help him learn to hold a pencil correctly for writing. hth.
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Crayola used to make some "stamp markers" with digits on them. Not sure if those are still around. There are certainly some great number stamp sets available as scrapbooking supplies these days. Stamping is very fun for kids. We also did a fair bit of dictation.
We didn't start formal curriculum until the 2nd or 3rd grade level in math, and that helped. We didn't have problems with general fine motor skills, just with graphomotor (writing in particular) stuff. Developmental maturity helped.
Miranda
We didn't start formal curriculum until the 2nd or 3rd grade level in math, and that helped. We didn't have problems with general fine motor skills, just with graphomotor (writing in particular) stuff. Developmental maturity helped.
Miranda
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One of mine struggles with writing, too but is a whiz at math. I didn't start him writing numbers until he was six, but we did verbal math games, counted money, made change and played with fraction pieces.
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I can't recommend "Handwriting without Tears" enough. It was developed by an OT and is a really good program. My son's handwriting is still pretty ghastly, but at least it is readable now.
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The system uses several different methods to build muscle memory and makes it reasonably fun. It is used a lot in home schools and schools are starting to use it too because it works so well.
In addition to the great ideas you have already gotten, to help build muscles that help with writing have him draw on verticle surfaces (things taped to walls, on easels) and have him do things laying on his tummy, propped up on his elbows. (like playing games, or cars, or building blocks...or even watching tv or eating a snack...it helps them build the trunk muscles needed to help support writing).
Things like rolling little balls of playdo, playing with light bright pegs, picking up change/marbles one handed while holding the things just picked up in that palm, legos, lacing activities, and doing mazes (my guy that liked math, but couldn't write well liked mazes a lot). You might also google "pre-writing activities" to find worksheets and such that you can do on your own to help with the pre-writing skills. (most of those type of worksheets are pretty fun)
eta: as much as it killed me to break all of ds' crayons into little bits, it was really helpful to improve his writing.
What we do in Math is have him write some of it, but let him verbally give answers for most of it. That way he gets a little practice of writing in, but his writing skills don't hold him back or make him miserable in math.
In addition to the great ideas you have already gotten, to help build muscles that help with writing have him draw on verticle surfaces (things taped to walls, on easels) and have him do things laying on his tummy, propped up on his elbows. (like playing games, or cars, or building blocks...or even watching tv or eating a snack...it helps them build the trunk muscles needed to help support writing).
Things like rolling little balls of playdo, playing with light bright pegs, picking up change/marbles one handed while holding the things just picked up in that palm, legos, lacing activities, and doing mazes (my guy that liked math, but couldn't write well liked mazes a lot). You might also google "pre-writing activities" to find worksheets and such that you can do on your own to help with the pre-writing skills. (most of those type of worksheets are pretty fun)
eta: as much as it killed me to break all of ds' crayons into little bits, it was really helpful to improve his writing.
What we do in Math is have him write some of it, but let him verbally give answers for most of it. That way he gets a little practice of writing in, but his writing skills don't hold him back or make him miserable in math.
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