Since math and numbers are intangible, getting younger students to grasp the concept of 1+1=2 can be difficult. When learning how to add and count numbers, come up with creative group activity games. For example, the spider game requires the teacher to break the children up into smaller groups of four or five. The students have to put their arms in the middle and both feet in a circle. As soon as the teacher yells a certain number of hands and feet, such as "four hands and five feet," the students have to remove the excess body parts from the circle.
Younger elementary students respond to visualization through the use of toys and other relatable play objects. For example, if you have a barrel of monkeys, hang them from one another on a tree branch or your finger, and tell a story about how the monkeys fell off one by one. Later in the story, ask the students how many monkeys are left in the tree. For older elementary classes, math board games or a "quiz show" contest can be a friendly, competitive and engaging method of learning math concepts.
With the popularity of the computer, many elementary students have already been exposed to these machines. The variety of different computer-aided software, such as math games and trivia, allow teachers or parents to teach math skills and review previous lessons. Labeled according to age and catering to various age groups, educational games are effective tools for reinforcing math concepts.
Allowing students to perform role playing sessions during class can help teach math concepts that are harder to grasp with traditional teaching methods. Concepts such as learning how to count numbers and add money may require you to set up a small, pretend "town." This town can include a grocery store, bank, farm and other structures that encourage the exchange of money. By printing fake money and allowing the children to buy and sell goods and services, you can stimulate interaction, fun and learning into one lesson.