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Children respond well to visual tools that help them understand addition concepts. Any easily handled object may be used, from beads or blocks to Cheerios. Start with a small number of items and use a variety of tactics to demonstrate number relationships: Give the child two small groups of items -- say, a group of two blocks and a group of three blocks. Have the child count the number of blocks in each group. Have the child combine these two groups of objects and count the total number of blocks. Explain that he or she has "added" these groups together. Provide a set number of objects -- six Cheerios, for example -- and ask your child how many ways he or she can combine groups of Cheerios to make six. She might create one group of five Cheerios, for example, and one group of one. Demonstrate how you can "add" to a group of objects by stacking. Start with a stack of three pennies, for example, and add two more to the stack. Ask your child to count how many pennies are now in the stack. " In a classroom setting, take advantage of your young students' need to move around regularly by using them as human manipulatives. Utilize tactics similar to those you'd use with objects to group and combine students and have them count themselves in different configurations. (Stacking students is not recommended!) Use modeling clay to create manipulative objects, or combine your addition lesson with an art lesson in using scissors to create a collection of paper shapes. Dice lend themselves easily to beginning addition games. Have students roll two dice and practice adding the resulting numbers. You may also use playing cards or dominoes. When working with groups of students with varying abilities you may tailor this game to provide an extra challenge for quick learners. Instruct them to add the results of three or more dice or playing cards. Use money to practice adding ones, fives, tens, and even intervals of 25. This tactic teaches money skills in addition to addition, and has the added benefit of demonstrating the practical advantages of learning addition.
Use objects to demonstrate how addition works. Group children and use their bodies as human "manipulatives. Consider having children create their own manipulatives. Employ game pieces in new ways to create addition games. Count with coins.