To ignore calculators completely at this level is to send the harmful message that the mathematics being done at school is different from the mathematics being done at home or at the grocery store. The use of calculators at this level does not imply that students don't need to develop the arithmetic skills traditionally introduced at the primary level. They certainly do need to develop these skills. One of the most effective uses of the calculator with young children is the use of the constant feature of most calculators to count, forward or backward, or to skip count , forward or backward, by twos or threes or other numbers. This process allows children to anticipate what number will come next and then get confirmation of their guess when they see it appear in the display.
Students can also greatly enhance their estimation ability through calculator use.
Range-finding games ask students, for instance, to add a number to 34 that will give them an answer between 80 and 90. After the estimate is made, it is punched into the calculator to see whether or not it did the job. Calculators will prompt young students to be curious about mathematical topics that are not typically taught at their level. A curious child will begin to ask questions about what those numbers are, but will also begin to develop an intuitive notion about negative numbers. Computers are a valuable tool for primary children.