Steve Bass's Home Office: Fun Stuff To Do With Kids and Your PC
Math made fun, brain teasers, memory builders, and offensive error messages.Steve Bass
I'll bet you'd like to spend more time with the kids than you've been able to. Here's a chance to make it up to them: Round up your offspring, join them at the PC, and give them some face time. I'm giving you a reason why: I rummaged around PCW.com and found an amazing collection of cool learning and education programs. As a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (I'm full of surprises, no?), I know that these tools will help strengthen the bond with your kiddies.
And listen, if you don't have tykes running around the house, don't feel left out. Many of these applications are perfect for adults; the one about calculus is especially valuable if you want to get back into therapy. And I've also thrown in a handful of nifty tips and a few LOL "dig this" sites. (Note to editor: It stands for "laugh out loud.")
Teach 'Em Math
Math has never been my strong point. I still have to count the lines on the ruler, struggling with the little ones. You know, 1/16, 2/16, 3/16, 4/16... wait, that's 1/4, right? Okay, you get the point. So I'm constantly amazed by the abundance of high-quality math tutorials out there. Here are some of the best I've seen.
Brain Builder--Math: The author claims that this game includes more than 500 million puzzles (go ahead, prove him wrong) that build skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The game includes three levels of stomach-churning math problems: basic, intermediate, and advanced. It costs $15, but you can try it out for free.
If you want more algebra, fractions (no, no please, no), or percentages, visit the company's Web site.
Math Assault II: Are your kids fourth- to ninth-grade students? They'll probably enjoy Math Assault II, a free DOS-based learning program that uses word problems to help students learn math. With about 500 problems, it eases their way through decimals, fractions, ratios, and anxiety-causing percentages and proportions.
Welcome to Algebra Online: Haven't had enough math? Okay, then, I have more for you. I did some online digging for my niece, a 10-year-old struggling with algebra (it runs in the family). I found Welcome to Algebra Online, a pretty incredible site. For instance, type an algebraic formula you're having trouble with and the site simplifies it for you. There's also help with calculus, equations, and matrices--all words that send shivers down my spine.
Warning: The Algebra Online site is ad-based, so it has lots of flashing banner ads. Use an ad blocker if they really bother you. We have AdSubtract, the one I use, ready for you to download.
GoMath: This must be the premier spot for online tutorials. It's a stunning site that covers geometry, physics, and SAT math. It even provides free online math help for K-12.
Quia: Vying with GoMath for the tutorial championship is Quia, another stunning site. This site offers 20 categories of math problems using Java games to keep the kids interested (and probably you as well). BTW, Quia is short for Quintessential Instructional Archive.
QuickMath: Here's where to go to get answers for math problems in algebra, graphs, and other mathematical equations.
A+ Math: Are you (or your kids) struggling with basic math, geometry, and fractions? Try A+ Math. It's ideal if you're still using your fingers to figure out addition and subtraction.
Dig this: Think fast! Oh, geez, you're way to slow. Know how I knew that? It's from years of practice (okay, only 30 minutes) on the Reflex Test Page. You think you're faster than me, right? My top speed is a swift 0.17 seconds.
Education, the Online Way
In the old days I tried forging my dad's signature on a report card. (I really did, and would have gotten away with it had I not misspelled his name.) It's hard to believe, but your child's report card may soon be coming at you by way of a Web site. Worse, at least for the kids, you might also be able to check on their attendance and test scores--in real time. Read the story in "Online Report Cards Draw High Marks."
If you have a sneaking suspicion that you and your family are spending more time online than, say, watching TV, you're probably right. People who log onto the Internet spend about 4.5 hours less per week in front of the set than people who don't log on. There's more to the story, including the numbers that show how many people go online and how long they stay there. Read "Is the Internet Hurting Your Social Life?"
Break Outta Your Rut
Some of you may be struggling with adolescents in their rebellious stage of development. Granted, sending them to military school is one solution. But if you want to keep them closer to home, try challenging them to a game of Wall Street Raiders. It's a quick-moving stock market simulation game complete with changing ticker tapes, political and economic upheaval, and a demand for quick decisions. Try it free or buy it for $15.
On the other hand, challenging your kids with an imaginative 3D breakout game like Trixiod can be valuable and fun. You know the kind of game--annihilate all the blocks on the screen while trying to catch extra points and watch out for roadblocks. It's fast paced, unpredictable, and a freebie. Your nimble fingered, sharp-witted kids will enjoy beating you, increasing their self-esteem, while you pretend to be developing your hand-eye coordination.
Remember flash cards? For a measly $20, you and your children can have access to more than 81 categories of them. Academic FlashCards topics include agriculture, boat construction, biochemistry, grammar, anatomy, organic chemistry, sociology, and zoology. It's free to try, $20 to buy, and you're limited to opening 25 items per list until you register and pay for the product.
Dig this: You're browsing the Web and you land on the wrong page. Most times you're politely told what to do. Not this time.
Next month I'll give you more tools to tutor your tots in weather, history, geography, music, and more.
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