Math Fun with Math Speed Tests
Why do we need to use Math speed tests? Timed Math drills or speed tests are important for encouraging our kids to excel in math concepts such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and addition. There are people who think that giving kids speed tests put undue pressure on our children. However, giving kids timed tests also teaches them how to work around such an environment and encourages our kids to work harder on their math activities which will be their strength and advantage when they go to higher levels.
How to start with Math speed tests
Once your child already has the skill to recognize numbers and the concept of addition, you can start with untimed tests. I usually use what I term as window cards for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. A sample of an Addition window card is at the end of this article which you can print on a single board paper or any bond paper then you can cut out the dotted boxes. The reason why I suggested that you print the window card on a sheet of board paper is so that your kid/s can reuse it. After cutting out the dotted boxes get a clean sheet of bond paper and put it under the window card. Now you can ask your child to answer the equations by writing his/her answers inside the cut out boxes such that when you separate the sheets you can still have him/her use the window card later while the answers are in the other sheet. Initially you can time how long it took your kid to finish the whole card and then as he/she gets to master the concept you can time his/her speed in providing the answers to the equations. Later on, you can have him/her beat the timer. The idea here is to teach your kid/s both speed and accuracy in each math concept. You can use these window cards for the 4 basic Math concepts of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. You can even download a set of window cards for each grade level from this website.
Have fun with Math speed tests
You can also have fun with these speed tests because you can have your kids compete against each other or you can compete with them. You might be surprised that they might be better and faster than you! You can also let them beat the clock. Children are very competitive and they excel more when they have to win especially when they know that they have the chance to win because they have been practicing. Making this a competition between you and your children will make the activity a fun time for the whole family. In school, by using these window cards the kids can compete among themselves but still the fun and competition they will have at home will be their motivation to improve their skill, speed and accuracy in answering the Math tests.
You may download the window cards for your speed tests through any of the following links:
