I have one of those kids who LOVES math.

He also loves to do anything with his hands - and believe me, keeping him busy is in my best interest!

When we needed some extra math activities this week I pulled out a box of unifix cubes and some flash cards and put him to work! He is five and a half and is working through the Horizons Kindergarten math program, but I wanted some fun math activities to keep him engaged while my nine year old and I were doing some work together.

As we worked, I discovered what fun this set of hand me down Unifix Cubes were, and just how much learning was taking place!

Math With Unifix Cubes

I started by setting out a couple of addition flash cards and telling my son to make the addition problem with the cubes.

This was pretty simple for him, so I showed him how he could self check the answers on the back. Here is he is getting started:

He wanted to do 20 problems, so the line of cards and cubes extended across the schoolroom:

I loved the look on his face as he was figuring how many cubes to use, how many problems he had completed, and how many he had left to complete.

When my daughter was done with her work, I asked her to check her brother's work.

This made her feel important, and it was also a good way for her to review her math facts. (There was some rolling around on the floor and giggling, but that's ok -- we're home, so you can have FUN doing your math!)

Not only did my five year old stay busy while sister and I worked, but he also learned a lot -- and my daughter got to "be the teacher" and practice her math facts at the same time.

I love it when a simple manipulative can do such POWERFUL things.

Here are the cubes and great activity books to get you started learning with Unifix Cubes!

Unifix Cubes (100 count)Unifix Cubes - Package of 300 - 10 Colors ETA hand2mind UniLink Interlocking Cubes, Set of 500 Didax Unifix Cubes, Set of 1000 Didax Educational Resources Write-On/Wipe-Off Unifix Cube Mats Mathematics with Unifix Cubes (Grade K)Didax Educational Resources Developing Math with Unifix Cubes Didax Educational Resources Mathematics with Unifix Cubes, Gr. 1