Balance Beam

  A fair number of years ago, I acquired this balance beam for learning basic math facts. The idea is simple. We put 2 or more blue weights on one side, and the child has to figure out what the sum is and put it on the other side to balance out.  If he gets it right, it DOES balance -- if not, the beam is lopsided.

  When I purchased it, my older kids enjoyed it but didn't really derive much educational value from it.  Naomi and Isaac are natural "mathies" and Lydia learned her math facts in other ways.  This balance beam is rather bulky and, more than once, I considered getting rid of it. 

  But I'm glad I didn't.  Joseph has struggled with math in some ways.  He certainly isn't a natural "math kid" like some of my children.  But he has taken to the balance beam like a duck to water, and he is learning his addition facts with it.  When the sum is greater than 10, I encourage him to put one blue weight on the 10 and figure out what needs to be added to make it balance.