Image at Science News for Kids - Shuffling Shenanigans

Tom DeRosa at I Want to Teach Forever has some great tips on how to use the ultimate manipulative - an ordinary deck of cards - to aid in teaching children early math concepts.

It's never too early to start working with your children on counting and grouping, and you can use just about anything. I'm partial to using a deck of cards, though, because they are so simple to use for this and so many other activities as your child gets older. This basic activity is designed for young children up to the Kindergarten level.

Click HERE to see the post in it's entirety.

I used an ordinary deck of cards with my oldest when practicing math facts for addition/subtraction as well as multiplication.  It only took a few minutes - and she really seemed to like it.  I would like to think that she enjoyed the face to face time with Mom as much as the game!  ;)

More great links on this subject:

Math Card Game for All Four Operations

Game Time!

Make at Home Math Games

Deck of Cards for Math Fun! - Explanation of games for different age groups.

The Schoolbell - Math gameboards used with a deck of cards.

Math a Big Deal (product for purchase)

Penrose's Corner (products for purchase)