3 No-Nonsense Ways to Work with Life of Fred Math

Of the eight years we’ve been homeschooling, our favorite math curriculum hands-down is Life of Fred. Not being a family that particularly loves the drill-and-kill method of learning, Life of Fred has provided a fun alternative to the otherwise dreaded math programs we’ve used in the past.

As our homeschool has changed over the years, so has our approach to these books. What I’ve discovered through it all is that no matter which of these options you choose, your children will not only learn math as it is used in real life, but they’ll enjoy themselves while they’re doing it, too. 

As an out-of-the box homeschooler, today I’m going to share with you the various ways we’ve successfully used this curriculum. My ultimate hope is to give you the confidence you need to throw out that math book that makes your kids cry (and maybe you, too), in order to bring new life to an otherwise stressful subject.

 

3 Different Ways to Use Life of Fred Math

 

1. Use it everyday as with any other math curriculum.

I know I started with the most obvious, but I had to include it because…well…it’s the most obvious. Not only does Life of Fred contain enough meat to use it as your sole math curriculum, but it is the only math program I know of that combines almost every single other subject in with the math, as well.

 

2. Supplement it with another math workbook.

Sometimes parents just aren’t comfortable with math lessons that don’t include a substantial amount of math drills. Additionally, some children have difficulty learning basic math facts and would benefit from some extra practice. Alternating days between Life of Fred and a more traditional workbook is a great way to get those basic math skills mastered while providing comical and real life scenarios in which those skills would be necessary. It’s a win/win situation.

 

3. Simply enjoy it as a read-aloud.

When we were unschooling, we continued to read this series together everyday. The kids enjoyed the antics of 5-year-old Fred, and I was satisfied knowing that my kids were being exposed to math on a regular basis. That’s the beauty of these books. Since they’re literature-based, they’re the perfect combination of math and reading- the two most crucial skills to teach your children. Most kids won’t even realize they’re learning math during these entertaining tales because they are genuine stories- not just generic word problems.

 

This year I’ve got children from 3rd grade through 9th grade using this one-of-a-kind curriculum. I do want to point out that I am not in any way affiliated with the publisher of this series. I am simply so impressed with it that I wanted to share it with all of my readers. Life of Fred is a gem. Consider giving it a try. 🙂