To facilitate this book review, I was sent a hardcover copy of Bedtime Math to try out with my kids. The author is also supplying copies to give away to Better in Bulk readers. No other compensation was received and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
We have a new favorite bedtime book in our house and even I am enjoying it!
Let me set the stage a little. When my older kids were younger, I read them stories at bedtime religiously. Read aloud time was part of our bedtime routine. Maybe I should clarify a little…sitting down with a picture book after the kids got dressed for bed and brushed their teeth was part of the routine. And so was me falling asleep in the middle of the book and the kids pestering me to wake up and finish the story.
I love reading…but some of the kids’ books that we read when they were younger bored me to no end. I came to not look forward to the bedtime reading time and eventually, as the older kids got bigger, that part of our night time routine became less and less common.
Making math and reading aloud fun again!
Enter Bedtime Math. You may be thinking…”That’s a surefire way to put any parent or kid to sleep!” but surprisingly, we found it engaging and entertaining enough that even *I* am not falling asleep (or complaining about having to read a few more pages). That’s saying a lot (I tend to be tired ALL the time).
Bedtime Math is geared to kids ages preschool through 9 (and beyond) and is filled with one-page stories/situations, followed by three levels of math questions. Originally, I wondered if Bedtime Math might be too simple (and therefore boring) for my youngest son, who is 8 and does very well in math in school. Not so! Although he can always figure out the problems, the Big Kids problem is just enough of a challenge for him that it gets him thinking…and he loves that! He also insists that we ask him the Wee Ones and Little Kids questions as well. He loves the stories/scenarios that go with each problem, and even I find myself enjoying doing the problems with him. Bedtime Math makes math fun for ALL of us, and I don’t cringe when he asks to read it every night before bed (like some other kids’ books!).
What is Bedtime Math about?
Bedtime Math’s mission: to make math a fun part of kids’ everyday lives.
We all know it’s wonderful to read bedtime stories to kids, but what about doing math? Many generations of Americans are uncomfortable with math and numbers, and too often we hear the phrase, “I’m just not good at math!” For decades, this attitude has trickled down from parents to their kids, and we now have a culture that finds math dry, intimidating, and just not cool.
Bedtime Math wants to change all that. Inside this book, families will find fun, mischief-making math problems to tackle — math that isn’t just kid-friendly, but actually kid-appealing. With over 100 math riddles on topics from jalapeños and submarines to roller coasters and flamingos, this book bursts with math that looks nothing like school. And with three different levels of challenge (wee ones, little kids, and big kids), there’s something for everyone. We can make numbers fun, and change the world, one Bedtime Math puzzle at a time.
Bedtime Math is the brainchild of author and mother Laura Bilodeau Overdeck. Laura and her husband, John, started giving math problems to their two older kids (just because she loved to do math puzzles when she was a kid!) but found that their 2-year-old wanted his own math problems. Bedtime Math was born out of that hunger from their kids to have fun math problems suited to their ages and interests.
Laura has a BA in astrophysics from Princeton University, and an MBA in public policy from the Wharton School (that’s right–she doesn’t have any professional math degree. Just a love of numbers and puzzles!). When not playing with numbers, Laura pursues her other interests, which include chocolate, wine, extreme gravity stunts, and Lego Mindstorms.
Win a copy of Bedtime Math!
The author of Bedtime Math would love to send a copy of her new book to three (3) Better in Bulk readers. Just enter the Rafflecopter form below before the giveaway ends on July 24 (end of day). Winners will be chosen at random and notified via email. Winners names will appear on the Rafflecopter widget once the giveaway is closed.
Good luck!
Connect with Bedtime Math:
Website: https://BedtimeMath.org
Buy Bedtime Math on Amazon
Bedtime Math blog: https://bedtimemath.org/blog/
Twitter: @BedtimeMath
Facebook: Facebook.com/bedtimemath
Pinterest: Pinterest.com/bedtimemath/
© 2013, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
I have a 5 yr old niece and a 9 yr old niece so this would be perfect to read to her sister. My sister enjoys reading to them at night.When my daughter was little I used to read to her at night. Thank you for the cool giveaway :)
I have a daughter who this would be perfect for!
I think it would be a fun bedtime story to read to my kids without them feeling forced to learn.
My niece could really use this. She needs things like this to help her with her struggles.
my son could really use this, math is the subject he struggles in the most.
Mydaughter loves doing math
I would love to get this for my daughter to have a fun way to work on her math skills!
This will help my daughter with math thank you
My son loves his nightly bedtime stories and he is so excited to start Kindergarten. This book would be a blast!
what a great combination…learning at bedtime through stories
My granddaughters just starting school would benefit from a math story
My son struggles with Math. Sneaking in some extra Math at bedtime would really help him in a relaxed environment.
One thing that comes to my mind is this: If they’re left thinking about the book & thinking about what they’ve learned or how they can use it, perhaps they won’t be thinking about those awful monsters that are always lurking under their beds! What a great way to end their day!
My two sons love doing math, would love this book
We could all use a little help with math, and nighttime is our only time together as a family.
my daughter doesnt like sitting down and doing math and i think this would help
I think it is a great way to get kids to think about story problems and doing mental math at an early age.
We are just learning adding and subtracting here in our house…well, our son. I think my husband and I have had it down a few years…although I still use my fingers to count more often than I should. So maybe I would benefit…
If I won would give it to my sister who has a 4, 2 and 7 month old.
My daughters love to read at night and a book that also reinforces math sounds great too!
This would be great to strengthen my daughter’s math skills in a fun way. She isn’t a fan of reviewing but she LOVES bedtime stories! Win, win!!
My son doesn’t like practicing math so this would be a sneaky way to get my reader to work on math
My daughter who is a 9th grade math teacher has 2 1/2 year old twin girls. This book would be so appropriate to give to her for the girls.