My daughter said that her class came up with a list of strategies to learn multiplication. In fact, her friend Helena came up with the x8 trick. Learning math facts seems to work best when it gets presented different ways; this is the logical reasoning method. The post I refer to throughout on Tips and Tricks uses songs; another great way to go. We do flashcards and mnemonics; do you have any good ones for facts? The only one I know is 8 x 8: I ate and I ate ’til I threw up on the floor, so 8 times 8 is 64! It works so well that my youngest knew 8 x 8 at age 3 but just that one one because he finds gross humor particularly funny. If you have any other tricks or tips, please share!
9 Picture Books to Teach the Months of the Year
Teach your kids the months of the year with this easy rhyme with a selection of wonderful picture books that also cover the calendar.
A Dark Eric Carle-Like Picture Book
If there was yang to Eric Carle’s yang, then this would be What Comes Darkly Thieves by Ben Rubin. It has a folk tale fable quality to it but with an openness and makes a child ask over and over again, “Why?”
The Smiley Book of Colors. Picture Book GIVEAWAY!
The Smiley Book of Colors by Ruth Kaiser is a clever picture book that finds smiley faces in every day objects. It also teaches colors. What I love about it is that it also teaches kids to see, REALLY see, like an artist. Is there a smiley face lurking about? Probably! You just have to see it.
March Madness Book for Boys: The Final Four
Gritty and realistic to the end, this chapter book ends in a satisfying yet unexpected way where winning is based on luck and skill, good guys don’t necessarily finish first, and losers are the ultimate winners.
Getting Your Own Luck Assuming You Are Not Irish
Is the luck of the Irish a gift from the gods or the result of hard work? Chapter book Beyond Lucky explores this idea with a soccer coming of age story.
Children’s Choice Book Awards: Vote!
The best picture books, chapter books, easy chapter books and graphic novels according to kids! Vote now to pick 5th Annual Children’s Choice Book Awards winners.







