3 Tips for Helping a Child Memorize Their Addition Facts

Most children are expected to learn their addition facts during the early grades. Many schools address the memorization of addition facts during second grade, but others begin as early as first grade, or as late as third grade. Memorization of the addition facts is very useful for children as they proceed onto more complicated math concepts, such as multiplication. A solid grasp on addition facts will help a child work through large multiplication problems much faster. Unfortunately, memorizing the addition facts can be quite a challenge for many children. If you want to help your child to learn and memorize the addition facts, the following tips can help!

Utilize worksheets - There are various websites on the Internet that offer free addition fact worksheets to print at home. You can use these, or even make your own. The goal is to help the child become extremely familiar with the addition facts, and worksheets are very good for this. To get a true sense of how well your child is progressing with their addition facts, sit with them and watch as they complete the worksheets. If it seems they are struggling or counting on their fingers for every answer, you may want to back up and focus on easier addition facts first. If, on the other hand, your child is sailing through the worksheet and jotting answers quickly, it's probably time to move on to the next set of addition fact worksheets.

Grab a box of flashcards - Flashcards can be such a great tool when helping children to practice and memorize their addition facts. Flash cards are especially good for those kids who don't have much trouble learning the information, but who hate to write. Some kids look at a worksheet and groan simply because they feel overwhelmed with the amount of writing that is involved. Using flashcards however, allows them to call out their addition facts quickly without any pressure to write.

Practice, practice, practice - It is not necessary to overwhelm a child with large amounts of work in order to help them to memorize their addition facts. However, it is essential that they have the material presented to them consistently. Don't add stress by trying to rush them as they learn their facts, because doing so may really backfire. Instead, introduce the addition facts in a progressive and consistent manner. In this way, the child can practice and memorize the addition facts in a way that is effective, but less stressful.