I am having trouble with my seven year old boy in school. Being a single mom I can't afford tutoring. Anyone have Ideas on any reading and math activities I can do with him that are fun?

Helen - posted on 07/29/2012

Have you heard of the game 24? What you need to do is to make him love learning, just like love eating vegetables ;).
A steady dose of learning everyday is good. At the grocery store, tell him to calculate the change for groceries. Ask him to read the signs of the products, etc.
Really, everything you learn in elementary school is so important for everyday life. You can easily make him improve his skills, with a little persistence.

Good luck!

Tanya - posted on 03/25/2009

google online learning games their are great sites you just have to search for them and the games keep their attention and they still learn in the process

Rebecca - posted on 03/24/2009

There are lots of sites online where you can print out math problems. I even found some with aliens. There are also sites that you can put the words in you want them to trace. There are packs of cards at Toys R US for less than $4 a set. Some contain sight words others have numbers up to 100, others phonics letters and blends. We just practice them. Put 1 to 30 on the floor and ask him to put them in order. Whenever you get the chance ask him the first, middle or last sound in words that come up in conversation. You can also write words on post it notes and stick them to the wall. Once he can read the sentence give him a new one.



We also have Zingo and Junior Sequence. The two games have really helped with taking turns, sportsmanship, strategy and concentration.

If your school library doesn't have easy books (reader level 1) then we have been able to buy some very cheap from the schoolastic fundraiser. They have very few words on each page and a lot of times they rhyme. You could probably do something yourself and print it out if money is tight.

Our sons teacher has low expectations so he wasn't trying and would goof off for her and not try rather than get it wrong. We have been working with him because he really wanted to get into first grade next year. This week homework is taking the time it should!!!! 5 to 10 mins, not 1 hr plus.... it is so nice to see the work paying off.

Stephanie - posted on 03/24/2009

Quoting Julie:

My daughters 1st grade teacher told me how I needed to hold her back because Of her reading and math skills.  I made my daughter read for 1 hour every night and do flash cards weather she wanted to or not.  When she hit second grade she became the top in her class.  She is one of the top readers and blasts everyone away at rocket math.  The teacher she has for second grade is awesome.  I also noticed what a difference a teacher makes.  Remember stick up for your kids.  nobody else will!

Rock on, Julie!! That is so true. I didnt like the fact that my sons teacher said he was lazy. So...I had to prove her wrong. She emailed me and complimented my son on the way he was improving. She asked what methods I used, or what tutor I used. I told her that I done what any mother would do...I worked continuously with him. Your kids are smarter than the teachers want to let on sometimes. I know that now after seeing my sons reading grade go from a D to an A in only 12 weeks. The teacher does make all the difference.

Julie - posted on 03/24/2009

My daughters 1st grade teacher told me how I needed to hold her back because Of her reading and math skills.  I made my daughter read for 1 hour every night and do flash cards weather she wanted to or not.  When she hit second grade she became the top in her class.  She is one of the top readers and blasts everyone away at rocket math.  The teacher she has for second grade is awesome.  I also noticed what a difference a teacher makes.  Remember stick up for your kids.  nobody else will!

Stephanie - posted on 03/24/2009

I was really worried about my son who is 7 and in the 1st grade. His teacher told me he was lazy. He couldn't read very well, didnt like math at all and his spelling wasnt that great. I couldn't afford tutoring either. I went to our local book store and found books for his age, grade and reading level. I bought just a few since I didnt want to overwhelm him. It took alot of dedication and patience, but I worked with him every night. Maybe he would only read a page or two, but that was progress. The two pages increased to 4, and before I knew it, he read the whole book. 15 pages. I would also play games while in the car. I would have him find a word he could read and say it out loud. Anywhere we would go, I told him if he brought 5 words to me that he read all by himself, he would get an extra star on his chart (stars earn allowance money). 2 semesters later, his reading grade went from a D to an A. Now, he continues to blurt out words from the signs on the highway, television, books, stores...anywhere and anything. I haven't the heart to tell him he isn't earning extra stars anymore! With math, flash cards are the best. If your town has a teacher supply store, go there and hit them up for some good flash cards. I hope he has improved since your post.

Amanda - posted on 03/24/2009

I would say to talk to the teacher, she/he may be able to give you some ideas. Reading will help. The dollar tree also has lots of activitiy books that you might be able get for him. Use note cards to make card games with words such as memory. Getting magnetic letters and having him spell out words on the frige while you are cooking. You can also race him. You make the word, he makes the word at the same time.

The best thing would be patience and realizing that sometimes kids need more time for that light bulb going off.

Good luck!

Mellissa - posted on 03/24/2009

I am having some of the same trouble with my seven year old. Does the school have special programs for one on one help. My daughters school does and now she is getting better in school and has graduated from the program. If not taking your child to the library and being able to pick out books he wants to read that is at his level. Also making goels for him and having rewards for him when he reaches goals could help. There are cheap math books at walmart that could help with the math. Having objects or fake money can help with math problems so he has a visual of the problems can help out. also is he young for being in second grade? my daughter is one of the youngest students in her class and that can be a reason why he is having problems. Just keep up on the good parenting and give him a little push and your extra work will pay off. Your not the onlyone with this problem so do yor best and good luck!

Susan - posted on 03/24/2009

Definitely reading to him as much as possible is a great help -- moving your finger along so that he can see and understand that the words are what you are reading.  Stop and talk about the story, read it with animation, make it fun.  Another simple and inexpensive thing to do is to play card games with hm.  Things like Crazy Eights or Uno get him thinking about the numbers and associating with them.  Doing simple math problems with snacks (like raisins or goldfish crackers) can be fun . . .  "You can have 10 crackers -- now you've eaten 4, how many do you have left?"  Etc.

A wonderful tutor friend has children write their names in Playdoh letters or squirts shaving cream and lets them write the letters in it with their fingers.  Have you checked with the teacher for recommendations or asked the special ed teacher (not that your child need Spec. Ed. just as a resourc!) for some ideas or resources?

Hope this helps,  Susan

Susan - posted on 03/24/2009

Definitely reading to him as much as possible is a great help -- moving your finger along so that he can see and understand that the words are what you are reading.  Stop and talk about the story, read it with animation, make it fun.  Another simple and inexpensive thing to do is to play card games with hm.  Things like Crazy Eights or Uno get him thinking about the numbers and associating with them.  Doing simple math problems with snacks (like raisins or goldfish crackers) can be fun . . .  "You can have 10 crackers -- now you've eaten 4, how many do you have left?"  Etc.

A wonderful tutor friend has children write their names in Playdoh letters or squirts shaving cream and lets them write the letters in it with their fingers.  Have you checked with the teacher for recommendations or asked the special ed teacher (not that your child need Spec. Ed. just as a resourc!) for some ideas or resources?

Hope this helps,  Susan

Mary - posted on 03/24/2009

Oops, I should tell you that I had SO much trouble and worry over one of my daughters, and I remember my sister telling me, "Don't worry, one day a light will go on in her head and she will just GET it." and it DID!!! It took a lot of watching her and making sure she SAID the letters as she wrote them, and reading books to her etc. and then one day she just said, "OH!" Look mom, I can read! Good luck. :)

Mary - posted on 03/24/2009

Hi, I got the Richard scary videos for abcs and numbers and my daughter LOVES them, and will watch them over and over. Also, I got her a leapfrog leapster and a few age appropriate games (they get more advanced) and she will do that for hours. Good luck!



Mary