Parents, Board Games, and Mathematical Learning

Abstract

Timothy went to half-day kindergarten while his big brother, Ian. attended first grade. Timothy and I had three hours together, and inevitably we would play Monopoly. Timothy loved the game: all the little pieces and properties; colored money; dice; and, I expect, beating me, his mother. When he entered first grade. Timothy could make change from a $100 or $500 bill; count by fives, tens, twenties, fifties, and hundreds; order bills by their value; and read dice at a glance. Timothy knew all his colors. He could read the word Go! and knew that “chance” cards are orange and “community chest” cards are yellow. He knew about something called “taxes” and that you could “get out of jail free” if you rolled doubles.