In second grade, students review basics from first grade, and then begin to understand numbers logically. Concepts in a basic second-grade math curriculum include adding and subtracting two to three digit numbers, telling time, recognizing and creating shapes as complex as trapezoids and parallelograms, and estimating and measuring using basic units of measurement. In addition students learn to understand and solve world problems since they are learning the rationale and logic behind numbers, rather than just memorizing them as a list.
While most children do have short attention spans, they can usually still handle a bit of "work" before being allowed to play. This is why some parents assign their children a couple hours a week to do math exercises in workbooks. Kumon, a rapidly growing skills enrichment company, was heralded for its success in a 2010 "New York Times" article. You can enroll your child in a local Kumon center or assign him or her exercises weekly in a Kumon workbook. If Kumon is not available, you can try locating workbooks from Essential Learning Products or Continental Press.
Since workbook programs like Kumon are growing in popularity because of their success, you need a way to make sure your child continues to do them. Try setting up a calendar in your child's room. For each day that your child does the workbook or assigned math exercises, award him or her a sticker. For children that age, even stickers are exciting prizes. At week's end the prize for earning seven stickers can be a favorite dessert or extra play time. Make sure to remind your child of the possibility of earning an even bigger grand prize at the end of the month.
By knowing what skills your second grader now has, you can make sure to implement those skills in various household tasks. "Practice makes perfect," and you can help your child practice measurements, numbers and estimating by involving your child when cooking, building a project, or calculating costs at the ice-cream shop or a restaurant. Understand what your child knows and allow him or her to demonstrate the knowledge. When cooking, ask your child to measure the ingredients. When building something outside, ask your child to measure the pieces. To help solidify your child's understanding, instead of asking how to make a dollar with quarters, ask how to make it with both dimes and nickels. When measuring plywood, ask your child to measure using a 12-inch ruler instead of measuring tape, then add up the results.
Often children just want to play, but that doesn't mean play can't be educational. Try sending your child on scavenger hunts to practice counting and measurements. Sample items on the list can be 89 pennies, an object measuring 8 inches, an object an estimated 2 feet higher than your 6-foot fence.
Mix math into common childhood games. When playing the card game "War," for instance, each time a higher card takes a lower card, have the player that won that play state the difference between the two numbers and then earn that number of points. When playing a board game, have your child add together the dice. Games without numbers are also excellent ways to strengthen secondgrade math skills. As students in this year are beginning to learn more complex ways of reasoning, try having them play strategic games such as chess, Monopoly, Clue and dominoes.