Denise Gaskins
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denisegaskins.com
Denise Gaskins
@denisegaskins.com
Math author and long-time homeschooling mother of five. Through my blog and my books, I want to awaken parents’ and children’s minds to the wonder of mathematics. linktr.ee/letsplaymath
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Musings: Math Is a Social Game -- How can we bring this collaboration, this sense of community, into our children's experience of math?

Check out my blog for ideas!

#homeschooling #homeeducation #letsplaymath #iteachmath
Musings: Math Is a Social Game
Childhood Memories When I was in school, math was something each person did on their own for homework, quizzes or tests. Even when the teacher sent us to work on the chalkboard, each person did their own problem. We would never think to collaborate on math. To look at someone else's answer was considered cheating.
denisegaskins.com
Math Game Monday: Cross-Twenties

This game gives young children practice adding numbers within twenty. And it's great strategic fun for all ages!

#mtbos #homeschooling #mathgames #letsplaymath
Math Game Monday: Cross-Twenties
This game gives young children practice adding numbers within twenty. And it's great strategic fun for all ages! Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. Cross-Twenties Math Concepts: addition to twenty, thinking ahead. Players: two or more.
denisegaskins.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Mental Math: Advanced Subtraction

We have new ways to help children do math in their heads as the numbers get bigger and the problems more challenging.

#mtbos #homeschooling #letsplaymath #iteachmath
Mental Math: Advanced Subtraction
As our children grow and develop their math skills, the mental math strategies grow with them. The basics of mental math don’t change: Use friendly numbers. Estimate and adjust the answer. But we have new ways to help children do math in their heads as the numbers get bigger and the problems more challenging. For example, how might kids figure out a multi-digit subtraction like 67 − 38?
denisegaskins.com
November 5, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Math Game Monday: Distributive Dice

This game helps children practice math facts and understand the area model of multiplication. And it's great for building multi-step mental math skills.

#mtbos #homeschooling #mathgames #letsplaymath (limited time)
Math Game Monday: Distributive Dice
This game helps children practice math facts and understand the area model of multiplication. And it's great for building multi-step mental math skills. Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. Distributive Dice Math Concepts: addition, subtraction, multiplication, distributive property, rectangular area, multistep mental math.
denisegaskins.com
November 3, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Geometric Math Art, Recovered --- A great way to spark energy when your students hit the mathematical doldrums.

Wonderful resources, rescued from AWOL internet sites.

#mtbos #homeschooling #homeeducation #letsplaymath #iteachmath
Geometric Math Art, Recovered
I've been updating my old book files to a new publishing program, and in the process discovering anew how often websites change and disappear. So frustrating! Thankfully, the Internet Archive keeps some things that we can look back at. It doesn't always work, but today it came to the rescue and let me recover the wonderful workbook from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, …
denisegaskins.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Math Game Monday: Integer Solitaire

This game gives upper-elementary and middle school children plenty of practice adding and subtracting integers. It's a fun challenge for adults, too!

#mtbos #homeschooling #mathgames #letsplaymath (limited time)
Math Game Monday: Integer Solitaire
This game gives upper-elementary and middle school children plenty of practice adding and subtracting integers. It's a fun challenge for older students and adults, too! Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. Integer Solitaire Math Concepts:
denisegaskins.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Math Game Monday: Michigan (Boodle)

This game reinforces numerical order and helps children get acquainted with a standard deck of playing cards. But mostly, it's just plain family fun!

#mtbos #homeschooling #mathgames #letsplaymath (limited time)
Math Game Monday: Michigan (Boodle)
This game reinforces numerical order and helps children get acquainted with a standard deck of playing cards. But mostly, it's just plain family fun! Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. Michigan (Boodle) Math Concepts:
denisegaskins.com
October 20, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Thinking Thursday: Pig Game

Writing to Learn Math: Games are the ultimate re-playable activity prompts. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or…
Thinking Thursday: Pig Game
Writing to Learn Math: Games are the ultimate re-playable activity prompts. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: Notice. Wonder. Create.
denisegaskins.com
October 16, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Modultown! A Math-Inspired Children's Book

#kickstartershtag/kickstarterread" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link">#kickstarterread #mtbos #iteachmath #kickstarter
Fun New Math Story
Hey, look! A new book from the folks at Natural Math, now on Kickstarter: Modultown! A Math-Inspired Children's Book Experience a whimsical puzzle hunt in a new fantastic world full of friendship and surprises, from the authors of Funville Adventures. When human siblings Emmy and Leo find themselves magically transported to Modultown, they make new friends and combine their different perspectives to solve challenges that flesh out the mechanics of modular arithmetic.
denisegaskins.com
October 15, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Math Game Monday: Wythoff’s Nim

Try this logic game, and encourage your students to write about their strategy.

#homeschooling #mtbos #letsplaymath (limited time)
Math Game Monday: Wythoff’s Nim
Use this strategy game to prompt math writing: What did your children notice about the game? How did they decide their moves? How is this a Nim game? Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play.
denisegaskins.com
October 13, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Notice–Wonder–Discover: The Foundation of Learning Well

If you’re struggling at all with your teaching or family life, she’ll turn you around and give you new perspective on how to move forward with grace.

#homeschooling #homeeducation #letsplaymath
Notice–Wonder–Discover: The Foundation of Learning Well
Most of us were never taught how to teach. And we certainly weren't taught what to do when NOTHING is working. My friend Sonya Post is offering a new course that will help you rethink how learning actually works, how you can stop second-guessing yourself and start seeing real growth. I've taken the earlier iterations of her course, and I'd recommend it to all parents.
denisegaskins.com
October 9, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Thinking Thursday: Robert Louis Stevenson

Writing to Learn Math: What did the author mean? Put the thought in your own words. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and…
Thinking Thursday: Robert Louis Stevenson
Writing to Learn Math: What did the author mean? Put the thought in your own words. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: …
denisegaskins.com
October 9, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Thinking Thursday: Ratio Puzzles

Writing to Learn Math: When students create their own math, they forge a personal connection to mathematical concepts and relationships. And it’s fun! Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help…
Thinking Thursday: Ratio Puzzles
Writing to Learn Math: When students create their own math, they forge a personal connection to mathematical concepts and relationships. And it’s fun! Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: …
denisegaskins.com
October 2, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Mental Math: Early Division

Doing mental math, children think about number relationships, mastering the basic structures of how numbers work, the same structures that underlie algebraic reasoning.

#mtbos #homeschooling #letsplaymath #iteachmath
Mental Math: Early Division
Mental math is doing calculations with our minds, though we can use scratch paper or whiteboards to make notes as we work. Doing mental math, children use the basic principles of arithmetic to simplify problems so they can think about number relationships, mastering the basic structures of how numbers work, the same structures that underlie algebraic reasoning. As always, we rely on two key mental-math strategies.
denisegaskins.com
October 1, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Math Game Monday: Tiguous

This game promotes flexibility with mental addition and subtraction. Skills practice for elementary students, and fun enough for adults to enjoy playing along!

#mtbos #homeschooling #mathgames #letsplaymath (limited time)
Math Game Monday: Tiguous
This game promotes flexibility with mental addition and subtraction. Skills practice for elementary students, and fun enough for adults to enjoy playing along! Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play. Tiguous Math Concepts: addition, subtraction, multistep calculation.
denisegaskins.com
September 29, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Thinking Thursday: Squarable Numbers

Writing to Learn Math: People learn math by playing with ideas. A math journal can be like a science lab book. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking…
Thinking Thursday: Squarable Numbers
Writing to Learn Math: People learn math by playing with ideas. A math journal can be like a science lab book. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: …
denisegaskins.com
September 25, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Thinking Thursday: The Mighty Cats

Writing to Learn Math: Problem-solving cares less about whether an answer is right and more about whether a solution makes sense. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing…
Thinking Thursday: The Mighty Cats
Writing to Learn Math: Problem-solving cares less about whether an answer is right and more about whether a solution makes sense. Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own? Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: …
denisegaskins.com
September 18, 2025 at 1:07 PM