Homeschooling on a Budget: Part 2 Manipulatives and Craft Supplies
by Cynthia Simunovich
Manipulatives are essential for helping a young child grasp math concepts. Creating your own homemade math manipulatives is easy and can save money. We've used wooden beads, small erasers, paper clips, Gummi bears and M&M's to teach a child basic arithmetic skills such as adding and subtracting, grouping, multiplying and dividing.
For a sense of larger numbers make 100-bead strings. String ten strands of 10-beads each for 100's counting. The strands can be laid end to end on the floor or table to show how "big" the number is. A ten strand is easily replaced with ten individual beads for "borrowing" in subtraction. (This is based on the Montessori model of manipulatives for counting. Here's a link to free downloadable Montessori materials http://www.montessorimaterials.org/ .)
Another math manipulative is to use cardboard geometric shapes for fractions. Make a cardboard template and then cut out paper shapes that can be further divided into halves, thirds, fourths and so on and placed over the cardboard as a reference. Use either colored paper or color the shapes yourself for an effective and highly visual manipulative.
Take a look at photos or descriptions of math manipulatives like the one pictured above. You can make your own clocks, geo-boards and 100-count boards. Spend a couple hours and use materials that are readily available to you. If you have a computer you can generate 1-100 sheets and paste them onto cardboard. Make a geo-board with an odd piece of scrap wood and small nails spaced evenly in rows.
For craft projects shop sales, look for coupons and discounts, and limit your purchases. It is tempting to have every color of the rainbow, but purchase only primary paint colors and teach your child how to mix colors using the color wheel. You can also make your own craft/art paper and use free online downloads for greeting cards. I've included a couple links for paper making (using supplies you probably have on hand) and good old play dough. (This link has 6 different recipes including one for Peanut Butter Dough!) Look around your kitchen or in your make-up bag for cutters and shapers to use at no extra cost to your budget.
Trade and barter art supplies and lessons with friends and neighbors. Someone may have tons of leftover beads or fabrics from a former project. Don't be afraid to ask – I've found most folks are very willing to share and maybe even teach your child a new skill. In turn you may be able to bring over dinner, weed a garden, or transport a neighbor to a medical appointment. Making do in difficult economic times can make everyone's life a little richer!
