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Ask HN: Videos explaining math intuively for children 6 to 10

64 points by gls2ro 3y ago

I just out of boredom maybe started to rewatch some old bookmarks and (re)discovered this Eddie Woo. Here is an example of a video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2z5uzqxJNU where he explains divide by zero. My kid (almost 6yo) seems very interested in numbers and math. I am doing my best not only explain some formulas but try to understand what it means. We are doing a lot of drawings or using sticks or some other materials to grasp some basic math knowledge. But I am not a math teacher so I assume my approach could be improved a lot. I recently (re)watched https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2z5uzqxJNU from Eddie Woo where he so beautifully explains to (what I assume are) high-school students divide by zero. I am looking for something similar but for more basic math concepts fit for children 6 to 10 years old. Any recommendations? I am mostly looking for video but any content is also welcome.

gus_massa 3y ago
Some recommendations that my 6-yo daughter loves: Specific to Math: Numberblocks: https://www.youtube.com/@Numberblocks/ https://www.youtube.com/@Numberblocks/ She knows a little more about multiplication than what I expected. Bonus: Technology: The Fixis https://www.youtube.com/@Fixies https://www.youtube.com/@Fixies The technical explanations are correct. (Videos form other channels that try to mix some science have too many technical errors.) Bonus^2: Apps for android BabyBus Science: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ailiyong.world.course https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ailiyong.w... (Good science explanations.) BabyBus Math https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sinyee.babybus.mathIII https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sinyee.bab... (I didn't try it, but I guess it's good.)
- xattt 3y ago
  The Fixies are a Russian show (Фиксики) with some… unusual product placement, including a very prominent feature of Kaspersky AV. Also, I’d be curious where YouTube monetization goes. Best case scenario would be to the creators’ living in exile. Looks like the English version has it edited out, but is visible in the Russian episode: https://youtu.be/JBGo5COk-SQ?t=4m38s https://youtu.be/JBGo5COk-SQ?t=4m38s
- hyperman1 3y ago
  Upvote for the numberblocks. My non-English speaking son found it on youtube, and learned a lot more than expected. At 5, I had to explain square roots to him, my wife joking he knew more mats than she did now. He ran around the house for weeks, screaming: The four fours! Oh yeah! So he presumably learnt some English along the way.
_boffin_ 3y ago
https://www.khanacademy.org https://www.khanacademy.org
- specproc 3y ago
  I dunno if this got down voted for just being a link, or if it's not "intuitive" enough, but I've always found the Khan Academy to be a great resource.
sokols 3y ago
My 7yo son has used extensively this app [0], albeit in German, but it seems that there is a version for the US too: [0] https://anton.app/ https://anton.app/
- mif 3y ago
  This looks good. Thanks for sharing.
rahimnathwani 3y ago
Beast Academy online (subscription $) has video explanations for each topic. Video isn't the main focus, though, and it's only suitable once a child can read. gus_massa mentioned Numberblocks. I think it's worth watching every video and, once done, starting over from episode 1. So much nice content, especially about multiplication and primes.
- HuShifang 3y ago
  Second the Beast Academy recommendation. I'd add, it's the younger version of Art of Problem Solving. The interactive games are extremely well designed from a pedagogical standpoint, the videos are fun and clear, the visuals are appealing, etc. (And I will say, there's a TTS button on the screen so that a kid who can't read can still hear the instructions, which are usually pretty intuitive anyway, especially after the video walkthrough. And the accompanying comics have proven more supplemental than essential for us.)
rahimnathwani 3y ago
When my son was 4 or 5, I found it useful to have math manipulatives to hand, to explain concepts as needed. In particular: - math link blocks - base ten blocks - coloured counters (which I labeled with a marker to represent 1s, 10s, 100s etc. If you want to avoid clutter, there are free online versions of these on Mathigon Polypad: https://mathigon.org/polypad https://mathigon.org/polypad
terrycody 3y ago
https://www.synthesis.com/ https://www.synthesis.com/ is best currently, just its a bit costly I think.

64 points by gls2ro 3y ago

gus_massa 3y ago

Some recommendations that my 6-yo daughter loves: Specific to Math: Numberblocks: https://www.youtube.com/@Numberblocks/ https://www.youtube.com/@Numberblocks/ She knows a little more about multiplication than what I expected. Bonus: Technology: The Fixis https://www.youtube.com/@Fixies https://www.youtube.com/@Fixies The technical explanations are correct. (Videos form other channels that try to mix some science have too many technical errors.) Bonus^2: Apps for android BabyBus Science: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ailiyong.world.course https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ailiyong.w... (Good science explanations.) BabyBus Math https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sinyee.babybus.mathIII https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sinyee.bab... (I didn't try it, but I guess it's good.)

xattt 3y ago
The Fixies are a Russian show (Фиксики) with some… unusual product placement, including a very prominent feature of Kaspersky AV. Also, I’d be curious where YouTube monetization goes. Best case scenario would be to the creators’ living in exile. Looks like the English version has it edited out, but is visible in the Russian episode: https://youtu.be/JBGo5COk-SQ?t=4m38s https://youtu.be/JBGo5COk-SQ?t=4m38s
hyperman1 3y ago
Upvote for the numberblocks. My non-English speaking son found it on youtube, and learned a lot more than expected. At 5, I had to explain square roots to him, my wife joking he knew more mats than she did now. He ran around the house for weeks, screaming: The four fours! Oh yeah! So he presumably learnt some English along the way.

_boffin_ 3y ago

https://www.khanacademy.org https://www.khanacademy.org

specproc 3y ago
I dunno if this got down voted for just being a link, or if it's not "intuitive" enough, but I've always found the Khan Academy to be a great resource.

sokols 3y ago

My 7yo son has used extensively this app [0], albeit in German, but it seems that there is a version for the US too: [0] https://anton.app/ https://anton.app/

mif 3y ago
This looks good. Thanks for sharing.

rahimnathwani 3y ago

Beast Academy online (subscription $) has video explanations for each topic. Video isn't the main focus, though, and it's only suitable once a child can read. gus_massa mentioned Numberblocks. I think it's worth watching every video and, once done, starting over from episode 1. So much nice content, especially about multiplication and primes.

HuShifang 3y ago
Second the Beast Academy recommendation. I'd add, it's the younger version of Art of Problem Solving. The interactive games are extremely well designed from a pedagogical standpoint, the videos are fun and clear, the visuals are appealing, etc. (And I will say, there's a TTS button on the screen so that a kid who can't read can still hear the instructions, which are usually pretty intuitive anyway, especially after the video walkthrough. And the accompanying comics have proven more supplemental than essential for us.)

rahimnathwani 3y ago

When my son was 4 or 5, I found it useful to have math manipulatives to hand, to explain concepts as needed. In particular: - math link blocks - base ten blocks - coloured counters (which I labeled with a marker to represent 1s, 10s, 100s etc. If you want to avoid clutter, there are free online versions of these on Mathigon Polypad: https://mathigon.org/polypad https://mathigon.org/polypad

terrycody 3y ago

https://www.synthesis.com/ https://www.synthesis.com/ is best currently, just its a bit costly I think.