Kumon Grade 1 Addition (Calculation Math Workbooks), Ages 6-7, 96 pages (Kumon Math Workbooks)

This book is much better than the kumon: addition book and the Kumon:simple addition book. Just skip those two books in the series, and just buy this one. In this book, in each two pay layout, the problems are divided into 4 sections. If the child is older, they could do all 4 sections. The first two sections are 2 pt. per problem. The 3rd and 4th section are 3 pts per problem. The total is 100 pts. For a younger child, the pts can be skipped, but for my 2nd grader that needs to work on his basic addition facts, he likes me to time him and give him a score. My son did not like the Kumon:simple addition and kumon: addition book, and he never wanted to work on them during kindergarten or 1st grade. Seeing a whole page full of problems was too daunting of a task. Breaking up the problems into 4 sections is better, because it is less scary to the child. I set the timer for 5 minutes, but ideally I want him to finish between 2 - 3 minutes. This is a 1st grade book, and he is a 2nd grader. We are working on speed now. By being able to break up the pages by half or 1/4, I can adjust the amount of problems assigned to keep him within our target goal. Or I could use the first section for learning the material, and then the other sections for timed work. Anyway, this Kumon book is worth the money.

This does not deserve the 1-star ratings a few have given it. In order to enjoy higher levels of math, you need a rock solid foundation of basic skills. That requires practice and lots of repetition, to the brink of boredom (hopefully not too far over the brink). If your child knows some of this book already, thank yourself or your teacher or both, please don't yell at the book. Hands down, this was the best book for my child out of all of the ones we've used so far.

This is great for beginning kindergartners, but you'll likely spend additional time reworking the handwriting sections like we did. Think of it as real lessons (with much help and guidance from yourself) that will eventually transition into unguided practice somewhere around the middle of the book. And you should be patient and not try to get through the book quickly. For a first grader, I suspect this is probably supplementary practice material and will require little to no guidance from parents, but I don't really know because she isn't in that grade yet. I wouldn't skip the handwriting section unless you absolutely know they don't need it. A teacher has around 30 kids and may watch your child form their numbers for only minutes out of the year, if even that. Nothing wrong with spending an hour or two of your time to make sure they have a lifelong skill taken care of.

I'm going to break down the sections so you can understand how I used it. To be clear, if my child's success was due mainly to some innate ability, then I wouldn't bother reviewing the book, but the reality is the book's organization and approach deserves a ton of the credit. I am convinced that the majority of children will have similar experiences as long as they are moving at their own pace and get the guidance they need. One or two sessions a week was a good pace for us because she has nightly homework, music lessons, gymnastics, ... you know the drill. Time off to play is critical. Approximately 15-30 minutes per chunk, regardless if that was half a lesson or several lessons. If it's more towards half a lesson, then I would stay close to 15 minutes so they don't become overwhelmed or exhausted from the difficulty of it. If they are flying through the stuff, let them revel in it until they start to lose their concentration. That's around 30 minutes right now for my kid. I may sound like a slave driver because of how detailed I am with all of it. The way it actually works, though, is hand holding through completely new concepts and lots of patience and praise. If they don't get it, don't move on, try another day using a different approach. For concepts already understood, I let her do it herself and just hung around doing something else quietly in the room. If she got frustrated, I would help talk her out of the frustration and to refocus and not be so upset that something is hard. If she couldn't drop the frustration, I turned it into a lesson on one or two topics that needed to be gone over the most and then ended the session for the day, not worrying about finishing the page. Most of the true emphasis was on pattern finding; the actual addition just takes care of itself in this book.

The first lessons are tracing large numbers, following the arrows so that you are forming them properly. It immediately starts to shrink the box size over the next several lessons and ends with the appropriate writing size for 1st grade. It also introduces the counting dot groups that you see on all standardized tests. There is a smooth transition into the counting system, which progresses from filling in a basic group of 10 in various rows, followed by straight down a column, followed by the middle of one row to the middle of the next row, followed by various randomized or different patterns. Progressive and systematic. Easy. During this stage, I had my child redo numbers that needed handwriting practice, going back to the tracing sections for specific numbers until her muscle memory improved.

Use the counting sections to constantly find patterns. For example, when filling down a column, have them recognize that the 1's space stays the same and the 10's space increases by 1's versus rows where the 10's space stays the same and the 1's space increases. Have them point out any other patterns they see, regardless of how simple or how many times they've seen it before. Page 27 #4 was an especially good pattern for this age - I asked her to predict the next two numbers and she easily got it even though it was the only time that specific pattern was used. That is because we took advantage of the basic patterns used earlier in the book. The final counting lesson (#14) pushes up to 120, so students understand how to continue the counting system beyond the standard stopping point of 100. I graded her based on her quality of handwriting, making her take as much time as necessary to make it look as good as she could. I slowly increased my standards to push her progress, but tried to be realistic about what a kindergartner's hands can do.

After that, they will write the number that comes next, using an arrow as a designator. It quickly transitions between the arrow and the more traditional 'x + 1 =' system. They will learn that addition is simply an extension of the counting system. Then there are many pages of practice and that is the point: repetition creates mastery. It does this again with 2's, then 3's, and so on, but each additional number uses less and less pages of practice because it is an easy transition from one step to the next. We always found patterns afterwards; for example, if one number is held constant and the other other number being added to it increases by 1, then the answers must also increase by 1. Basic, but very important. I don't point them out directly. I ask her to find them, sometimes using guiding questions, and then we work together to create a statement that is mathematically clear; you can sneak words into their vocabulary like row, column, constant, diagonal, ...

Grading was important. If she got something wrong, I would tell her how many were incorrect, but she would have to find them. She got half credit back for each one she fixed. If she still missed one after the check, then no credit, but we went over them carefully until she had it down. Sloppy handwriting wasn't counted as incorrect unless it was totally unreadable, but I made her erase and redo anything that she obviously didn't put a good effort behind. The emphasis was on effort made, not getting the writing perfect. All lessons were untimed from her perspective. I did time them occasionally to see how she was progressing. I allowed her to use her fingers, but encouraged her to try not to. By the end of the book, she was mostly done with that crutch.

She really wanted 100%. She didn't always get it and this book helped her to understand that it isn't possible to get 100% all the time, but it doesn't mean you aren't good at it. Early on in the addition section (adding 2) she tried to bang out two consecutive lessons as fast as possible and scored a 70-something and an 80-something. She was disappointed. Our discussions on what good effort means finally hit home for her. She improved her focus and stopped racing. I also changed my standard that I would not check her work until she had checked it herself first. I didn't place much emphasis on the grade after the lesson (I was really doing it so that she wold be used to the idea of being graded), but she saw it as a challenge, so I took advantage of that and used it to improving her concentration skills such as filtering out distractors and such. Still, under no circumstances did I allow it to be a negative experience; we worked through it until it was always a positive experience, using the concept of continuous growth.

By the end of the book, she was confidently adding 16+12, 13+13, 15+13, 12+13, 9+14, ... 50 of those, in her head (no fingers for counting), good handwriting, 100% accuracy in 58 seconds (give or take a few seconds). That's what this book does if you take full advantage. Totally worth it. In all, we spent about 7 months on this book, moving at a casual pace and supplementing it with other skills such as mazes, money, time, logic, writing, science... mostly from those 1st grade practice books every bookstore has. The outcome is what I care about, not how quickly we get there.

I've been using these books with my 3 and 5 year old for a little over a month now and I love them. This addition book was for my 5 year old. This is above her grade level but I like to push her and this predicable study curriculum and routine has made it easy. We do 2 pages of Addition and 2 pages of Reading most every night. I can't say that my 5 year old enjoys it but she's 5. She doesn't like any work. I encourage her and let her know that smart people don't wake up smart, they earn it and "Hard work works hard when talent doesn't work." Although, it's like pulling teeth to get her through this book, she has learned the number line to get the answers on her own, what to do when she goes beyond her fingers counting, number patterns, she puts the date on every page, and her name writing is the best it's ever been. I kinda wish that the problems were vertical rather than horizontal but I trust the curriculum and I know teaching her this first has a purpose.

I heard about Kumon first from a parent who goes to private school with my 5 year old. I went to the Kumon location and had both the kids tested and priced. It was going to be roughly $430 per month for college students to teach my kids 1 subject each (either Reading or Math) twice a week. As usual, I consulted Amazon and found that I could purchase all the books for less than the price of 1 month of what that tutor was going to charge me. Plus, while the tutor teaches the children, I would have to be there too but I couldn't interact with the instruction. I'd have to be in the lobby. That seemed to me like a huge cost to be lazy and not do it myself.

The effectiveness of these books has been paramount! It's only been 1 month but my 3 year old who is left handed is now writing her name with unprecedented accuracy. She did the entire "My Book of Amazing Tracing" and has now started on the "My First Book Of Uppercase Letters." She actually does enjoy the books. I plan to continue and finish all the books with both of my children.

I have to write a bad review for this book because I believe it is hurting kids in thinking math. This book is teaching kids to add a 1 to any number for 7 days (350+ questions), add 2 to any number for 7 days, add 3 to any number for 5 days... Imagine asking an adult x+1=? 350 times for 7 days...it makes him thinking stupid. I did not realize this problem until after I tried my daughter for a couple weeks. While it's a painful (not-so-effective) practice on counting numbers, it trains a kid to think stupid in math. My daughter knows single digit addition well prior using this book. After 2 weeks of Kumon, she turns to be sick of adding 1s or 2s...and she is confused. Now, we are using iPad downloads of Farm Land Math, Math I (Save Lambs from a Wolf), and sometimes Bingo Math. Anyone of them are 10 times better to teach a beginner math to think smart. This Kumon Math is really the worst math book I have ever seen. On the other hand, we are using Kumon Reading 1, and it is a really nicely done book. My 13-year-old niece is using Kumon level F...it's very good too. However, I hope no one uses this Kumon math 1 book for a child. It drives a child crazy for not much good reason.

I bought this book to supplement our first grade math curriculum. The first 14 lessons are on number writing not addition at all. Then the lessons progress from 1 plus all the way to 118. (1+118) First grade is about learning your math facts. That was 3 more unused lessons. Then we move on to 2 plus all the way to 39 another (2+39) 3 more unused lessons The process continue all the way to 9. I used less than half the book what a waste of money. I have used all the Kumon books and liked them until this book. My advice if you want relevant math facts practice that will actually be useful skip this book and save your money.

About 85 pages of practice materials, ranging from super easy review stuff (sequential numbers from 1-100) to adding 1-10. Example: You get 4 pages of add 3's to a number. Similar but not the same workbook you get from Kumon classes which has more repetition and more practice questions.

Got this for my kid to practice in the summer. Good repetitive practice but all the equations are written left to right direction, I wish they have some equations/questions going straight so it would be easier to teach him when it’s beyond 1-10.

This book takes a child from writing single digit numbers through addition of numbers into the teens. This corresponds roughly to the arithmetic taught in the first semester of first grade in most U.S. public schools. Prior to starting this book, the child should already know how to count, at least to 20 and perhaps to 100. In addition, children at this level may need an adult to read the brief instructions on each page, and perhaps to help explain some of the initial concepts if the child is entirely unfamiliar with addition.

The book consists of 43 double pages of problems, with some front matter and an answer key in the back. The 43 double pages are as follows:

1-5 (10 pages) are on writing numbers, starting with single digits and going up to 20. There is some tracing to help beginners learn how to form the digits. There are dot patterns to help the child understand the correspondence between the numerals and the quantities they represent.

6-14 (18 pages) are on writing two digit numbers by filling in blanks in tables of numbers, starting with tables up to 30 and progressing to tables that go up to 120. Writing the numbers in context reinforces the ordering of the numbers; in addition, the arrangement of the tables in rows of 10 helps prepare for the learning of place values later on.

15 (2 pages) are on the relationship between ordering and adding 1, teaching the child that adding one is the same as incrementing to the next number.

16-20 (10 pages) are on adding 1 to numbers up to 118, for sums up to 119, reinforcing the relationship between incrementing and adding.

21-25 (10 pages) are on adding 2, starting with a half page illustration of how adding two is the same as incrementing twice, and then proceeding with drill on adding two to single digit and double digit numbers into the 40s.

26-28 (6 pages) are on adding 3, starting with a half page illustration of how adding three is the same as incrementing thrice, and also initially providing a number line on which the child can count ahead by three when adding 3 to single digit numbers. There are then a few pages of drill on adding 3 to single and double digit numbers into the 20s.

29-30 (4 pages) are drill on adding 4 to single and double digit numbers into the teens. In the remainder of the book, where a single digit and a double digit number are added, the double digit number is between 10 and 19 inclusive.

31-39 (18 pages) are drill on adding 5 (4 pages), adding 6 (4 pages), adding 7 (3 pages), adding 8 (3 pages), adding 9 (3 pages) and adding 10 (1 page) to single and double digit numbers.

40-42 (6 pages) are drill on adding various single digit numbers to single and double digit numbers.

43 (2 pages) is a review, consisting of filling in blanks in a table of numbers from 61 to 100 and adding single digit numbers.

The book provides a lot of repetition throughout; it can be started by a child who only knows how to count verbally and how to hold a pen, pencil, or crayon, and by the end of the book the child should have a good grasp of addition and a start on memorizing the sums of single digit numbers.

On completion of the book, the child is ready to move on to [[ASIN:1933241500 Grade 1 Subtraction (Kumon Math Workbooks)]], which introduces additional arithmetic concepts, and corresponds roughly to the arithmetic taught in the second semester of first grade in most U.S. public schools. The addition and subtraction books can optionally be supplemented with [[ASIN:193496817X Geometry & Measurement Grade 1 (Kumon Math Workbooks)]] and [[ASIN:1934968412 Word Problems Grade 1 (Kumon Math Workbooks)]], especially if these books are used as a full home school curriculum, rather than as a supplement to public or private schooling.

Of course, the point of the Kumon workbooks is to allow your child to proceed at his or her own pace, irrespective of age. The Kumon math workbooks are designed to work together in a progression, so it's best to select a first workbook for your child that includes your child's current proficiency level.

Unlike other workbooks, the Kumon workbooks focus on introducing a few concepts gradually and providing enough repetition to ensure the child actually learns the concepts. For children who enjoy working alone, the workbook is likely to be all that is needed to progress through the relevant material. For more gregarious children, the card games [[ASIN:B0009XBY3A Sleeping Queens]] and [[ASIN:B000GKD470 Zeus on the Loose]] may help with learning and drilling on addition concepts and practice, but workbooks will still be needed for proficiency in putting the results on paper. For my first grade daughter, the combination of this workbook and the two card games gave her proficiency and confidence with addition, and took her from thinking she was "bad at school" to realizing that she was "good at math".

Bought this for my 4 year old who was doing addition in his Montessori pre-k class as reinforcement. I thought it would be the best level for him but too bad the 1st 30 pages are nothing but writing numbers. I was expecting the entire workbook to focus on addition since he can already do his numbers well past 100. We are going to complete the book but I guess I'll be reviewing more closely in the future.

For what it is, this book is pretty great. But for my son, a few things made it difficult to use. My son is 3 and hyperlexic, and he’s already doing addition and subtraction. I wanted to get him something to encourage his love of math and numbers. This would’ve been perfect except for two things:

1) Numbered math problems. Seeing a number before the math problem made it seem like it was part of the math problem. He kept trying to figure out what he was supposed to do with that first number. For beginners, this could be a problem.

2) Small space for answers. I understand this book is for older kids. My son doesn’t have the same motor skills as a 6-year-old and writing the answers in such a small space was difficult.