Do your kids need help learning maths and times tables?
This is a short little review about a pair of gloves I was sent a while back for Caroline to try out. It’s getting to gloves time of year again and since everyone knows I love encouraging families outdoors, these are great for any wildlings who might benefit from some extra maths support while enjoying some outdoor learning (without realising).
Gloves for Maths
At first I was bemused – gloves to help with maths?! I wasn’t hot at maths at school and it’s taken me half a lifetime for any times table learning to sink in! Anything that helps with maths has to be a good thing in my book. But gloves with numbered fingers?
Counting Gloves
COGS stands for Counting On Gloves and it turns out they are quite clever. They could really help children learn about numbers and times tables and would be useful for home school and home educated kids too.
Numbers at Your Fingertips
Each finger is numbered to help children learn maths without realising. For beginners and younger children the fingers are simply numbered one to ten, then there are gloves for the basic times tables, 2, 5 and 10, supporting the Key Stage 1 Curriculum.
For older kids, the 3, 4 and 6 times tables support Key Stage 2 and finally the harder 7, 8 and 9 times tables are available.
The COGS website includes online videos explaining how to use the gloves including games and exercises to use for each stage.
Machine Washable
Made from acrylic, polyester-elastane they are machine washable at 30 degrees.
Choice of Colours
In a choice of four colours, blue, grey, pink and red, COGS are a one size fits all glove.
How did those little hands get so big from the ones we’ve got imprinted in clay when she was tiny?! But yes, one size really does fit all.
It’s hard to tell whose hand is bigger
How to Buy COGS
Counting Gloves cost from £2.95 for a single pair to £19.95 for a set of 10 (1-10 times tables) with packs of varying size in between for the Key Stages.
To buy a pair (or few) of COGS Counting on Gloves check out the COGS website.
For more of our honest reviews of books and outdoor gear check out Kids of the Wild’s reviews section.
If you would like Kids of the Wild to review a product for please get in touch via the contact page.
NB Kids of the Wild received a pair of COGS gloves for the purposes of review. All views and observations are my own (and Caroline’s, aged 9).
These look a great idea. Also check out Times Table Rockstars online for helping with tables. Thomas is an addict! x
Caroline does TT Rockstars but I didn’t click that that’s what the TT stands for!! Thanks for the lesson! X
Those gloves are a great idea. I spent 10 minutes a day in the car on the way to school doing tables with my kids for years. It is one they still remember now, but handy gloves is much more fun. #CountryKids
Wow, well done you. Repetition is everything in times tables I reckon
When I was a similar age to Caroline my godfather gave me a book on finger maths – it was far too grown up for me to read on my own and my parents never looked at it, so it was left to gather dust. I guess it’s the same principle here but these and the look far more interactive. Maybe my maths would be better if I’d persevered! Great idea #Countrykids
There are lots of these finger games around to learn times tables. For me it’s repetition so they might have helped me too back in the day!
I’ve seen these gloves before, such a brilliant way of helping children learn times tables while having fun outdoors too. Must get some for Sophie, she would love these. #CountryKids
I think they certainly make learning tables fun.
Now that’s an unusual take on outdoor learning, but it does sound really interesting. These could be really good for my older two, and for the younger two when they get started with times tables.
#CountryKids
They are a great idea but being so active we don’t get much time to think about doing the actual tables or exercises!
What a brilliant idea! i’m off to look at these as my son is really struggling with Maths in Year Four – these may be the answer #Countrykids
I hope they do help, repetition is the key I think.
Like yourself I was not hot on maths. It’s only been since geocaching that I have started to love it. So this looks like a fantastic way to familiarise your child with their numbers. #CountryKids
Just another reason why we must get into geocaching! You should be a geocache ambassador