If you use MUS, do you let your children play with the blocks?

[3lilreds in NC]

We just started MUS this week, and of course, my girls are fascinated with the blocks. They really want to build things with them and play with them, after we're done with math for the day, of course. I feel mean for saying no, but experience tells me that they will probably not be good about putting them away. I can see them getting misplaced, lost, vacuumed, eaten by the dog or the baby...

Should I try telling them they can use them if they keep them on the table under my close supervision? Or is it OK to tell them they are only for math? I don't know why I'm in a dither about this. One would think I'd be able to make a decision without questioning myself, yes?

[lwilliams1922]

my kids wanted to play with them as well.

We just got THREE new sets of legos this weekend so they can play blocks and I can keep the MUS blocks for math.

hth

[Pat in MI]

Well, I don't know if it is right or not but my kids play with the blocks. It is kind of their little treat for getting the math done. They build with them at the school table only so I can keep track of the blocks better. I learned with my kids that if I don't let them have a good time with something then they start to dislike or at least not be interested in those things. I want them to like and use the blocks so I let them play with them after math. HTH
Blessings,
Pat

[dawn of ns]

I definitely let my son play with them. It's been in play that he's made a lot of his math discoveries with them. I have a little toolbox they go in and he can play with them at the table or in the living room with his Thomas trains (the small blocks are great as cargo plus there's math there as well. If one truck hold five then two hold ten and three hold fifteen). I just make sure I keep an eye on him and help him put them away.

[Scuff]

Yes, and DD has learned a lot from that already. I was just thinking that I'm really starting to love this math program for her. Last week we watched about half the alpha DVD. I wanted to get a feel for how it worked. The kids were with me, but I didn't care when she stopped watching after the first few lessons, since we're going to be doing it later. Well, yesterday, she was just playing with them after math and started building addition problems like he does and showing them to me. Also, they're learning the colors this way and it seems a lot more fun to learn the colors through playing with them than in a lesson. I do have rules about where they play-either the kitchen table or the living room. Both of these places it's easy to make sure we get them all when we clean up. They won't be playing with them in the play room ;)

[strider]

They are welcome to play with the MUS blocks ON A TRAY and put them away right away. I usually also decree that said tray must remain at a table or agreed-upon spot.

[Amy loves Bud]

Absolutely! Peyton loved to play with them when Luke started out. She was 3. When she started on MUS she already knew her addition facts because of all the play with the blocks. I don't let them go upstairs, but they played with them dowstairs where I could kind of keep an eye. But what's a lost block or two when they are learning their facts while playing?

[3lilreds in NC]

Oh, ALL RIGHT. You've made my children's day. I don't think it's a good idea, and I will be most annoyed if the blocks get lost, but I will let them play with them as long as they stay at the table and pick up ones they drop. SIGH.

I can be a mature adult about this. Yes, I can.

[Camy]

I store our blocks in a covered box that is put up when not in use. The kids know they can play with them at the table only, and the blocks must be put up when they are finished. This privilege is lost if they fail to put them away.

Blessings,

Camy

[CalicoKat]

We just started MUS this week, and of course, my girls are fascinated with the blocks. They really want to build things with them and play with them, after we're done with math for the day, of course. I feel mean for saying no, but experience tells me that they will probably not be good about putting them away. I can see them getting misplaced, lost, vacuumed, eaten by the dog or the baby...

Should I try telling them they can use them if they keep them on the table under my close supervision? Or is it OK to tell them they are only for math? I don't know why I'm in a dither about this. One would think I'd be able to make a decision without questioning myself, yes?
absoutely!

But there are certain rules that apply,

1. only at the table.
2. only after they finish their math page :) (all their school work actually)
3. only if the remembered to put them all away the last time

I never pass up an opportunity to motivate them to get their work done. :)

the babies can play with them only during school time, when they're not being used by someone else.

[Kari C in SC]

I store our blocks in a covered box that is put up when not in use. The kids know they can play with them at the table only, and the blocks must be put up when they are finished. This privilege is lost if they fail to put them away.

Blessings,

Camy

This is what I do only I do not let my almost 4 year old play with them. He is what I would call "challenged" in actually following directions sometimes! I do let my older dd do as you said.

[Laurel]

Oh, ALL RIGHT. You've made my children's day. I don't think it's a good idea, and I will be most annoyed if the blocks get lost, but I will let them play with them as long as they stay at the table and pick up ones they drop. SIGH.

I can be a mature adult about this. Yes, I can.

I am on the messy side, and if anything makes it into the kids' room, it is lost and gone forever. But, I do allow them to play with math manipulatives, as long as they stay in the living room, and they clean up immediately when they are finished. With things I don't want to lose, I need to follow through each and every time with making sure it all gets picked up. It does take more effort on my part, especially at first. Now they know to pick up and put away the math manipulatives on their own. (Read: the 3 year old and I only get in a fight every other time he plays with them.)

It is hard sometimes to be a mature adult. Yuck.

[Heather in NC]

I don't because they are just too darned expensive to replace.

[Karin]

Yes, I did for a couple of years, but not all the time. It's encouraged as it helps them really learn the connections, etc. Now I don't because they make such a mess, the older one no longer even uses the blocks and the younger one has not only memorized those rods but also the cuisennaire rods, so he doesn't need that play anymore.

[WyoSylvia]

I wasn't sure about it either until I watched my Primer video (an older version) and Demme expressly encourages the children to play with them. Just like an earlier poster, my ds has picked up amazing math facts purely through playing. He even mastered the color/# connection by himself- I have no clue how he did that. I had to make up a system for myself to do it!

I follow all the other posters rules as well. Take care of them or they're off limits for play.

[abreakfromlife]

Oh, ALL RIGHT. You've made my children's day. I don't think it's a good idea, and I will be most annoyed if the blocks get lost, but I will let them play with them as long as they stay at the table and pick up ones they drop. SIGH. :lol::lol::lol::lol: I've been wondering the same thing, similar to your OP. I came to the same conclusion a couple posts before this one and I just cracked up.

[CleoQc]

My Visual Spatial DD needed to *own* the blocks. She built many princesses before she was ready to get down to work and learn math.

[3lilreds in NC]

My Visual Spatial DD needed to *own* the blocks. She built many princesses before she was ready to get down to work and learn math.

This is exactly the thing - the blocks will be horses and princesses and I cannot see how that will teach them math facts - but I will let them do it. They will just have to be good about picking them up and I will have to be good about making sure they do. I am so often in la-la land these days, it seems, that I fear my follow-up will be lacking, but we'll give it a try. If it's a disaster, we won't do it anymore.

And it's not like we don't have a house full of other math manipulatives - pattern blocks, linking cubes, counting bears - you name it, we probably have it. I am trying to create a "math-rich environment.":lol:

[Tracey in TX]

We do Saxon Math, but have the manipulatives. Our children love to play with them. Drives me bonkers, but they're at least using them in some capacity.

[Cadam]

Of course! My dd knew which number each color was before she started primer. The kids get all kinds of connections when they play and they learn to associate fun with the blocks, and therefore math must be fun. At least that is the way it has gone in my house.

I started with just the basic set and a year later got the completer set. Then my sister gave me a bunch... so I have a ton of these blocks and don't worry about losing one or two. They do all go in a big bin and the kids can't open the top so I always know when they are playing with the blocks. They keep my 2 yo happy while we do other school stuff.

[~Tara~]

absoutely!

But there are certain rules that apply,

1. only at the table.
2. only after they finish their math page :) (all their school work actually)
3. only if the remembered to put them all away the last time




We have the same rules :)

[Karin]

This is exactly the thing - the blocks will be horses and princesses and I cannot see how that will teach them math facts - but I will let them do it. And it's not like we don't have a house full of other math manipulatives - pattern blocks, linking cubes, counting bears - you name it, we probably have it. I am trying to create a "math-rich environment.":lol:

It won't teach them their math facts, but more spatial skills, what numbers are which colours, things like that. All important, IMO, for math.