Introduction

The computer is our best friend – and nowhere is this more true than in the field of mathematics. Cheap computing technology has made it possible for anyone to do mathematical calculations easily, and instantly. This ability to pick up a calculator and tap into it is something nearly all of us take for granted.

But computers don’t just make it easy for us to do math; they can make it simple – and fun – for us to teach mathematics, too.

Some parents who use the computer to teach math use PowerPoint. Others use a specially designed program such as BrillKids’ Little Math Learning System.

In Why Teach Math Early, we looked at some of the reasons parents may feel intimidated at the prospect of teaching math. The inconvenience of presenting lessons in the traditional format, and difficulty in maintaining children’s – particularly toddlers’ – interest were among the more valid reasons for discontinuing a child’s math lessons.

Our best friend, the computer, has a lot to offer in this regard...