Spring fever is abundant and children are starting to get excited for the summer months. Now is a perfect time to motivate them with fun math games and songs to make learning and review lessons exciting. Are you doing fractions with your upper elementary or early middle school homeschooler? Try singing the song below to encourage retention of the addition of fractions process.

Adding Fractions Song (sing to the tune of “Alouette”)

Adding Fractions,
Yes we're adding fractions,
Here is the steps,
For what you have to do:
You need the same denominator,
Then you change the numerator,
Use the same number to multiply,
Next add the numerators,
Keep the same denominator,
And cancel common factors,
So you can simplify.

You can find lots of wonderful math songs on the cd titled "Catchy Math Jingles" by Mindy Bauer. With encompassing topics ranging from angles to prime numbers, this cd is a must for anyone homeschooling an upper elementary to middle school child.

Math games are another great tool for not only reviewing concepts, but also for teaching them. While flashcards are fun, jazz up your use of them with additional games. For instance, have a scavenger hunt where your child needs to complete the mulitiplication, addition, etc. problems on the cards before getting the next clue. My son likes to play a form of "Mother May I" using the flashcards, where he tries to get from one place in our home to the checkpoint quickest by answering the problems correctly. Mindware makes a neat product called "Multiplication Mosaics" where children review their lessons and create gorgeous mosaics at the same time. There are also other versions of this product for several types of math, including division and addition. These include puzzles and pictures to create. However you choose to add excitement to your math curriculum remember to have fun alongside your child!