Nintendo DS Drills

Harry got a Nintendo DS for his birthday last week. That means we now have two in the house and the Pictochat feature that lets the kids communicate over them has become a favourite. Even with me. It makes math drills ever so much more fun and has opened some doors to reading practice with Harry.

I'll sit in the living room while Harry sits in his room. I'll write or type something like, "3+4=" and Harry will type in his response. This goes on for about 10 questions and then the responses start getting silly. I'll get, "777777777", instead of 7 or scribbles rather then the proper answer.

And then I'll hear the maniacal giggles.

Still, if I just retype the question then I'll generally get a proper answer...For about another 10 questions.

But that's about Harry's limit. After that the scribbles, and the giggles, start coming faster then I can post my questions. So I get silly myself and start drawing pictures of disapproving cartoon animals or sending insults like, "butt face," or "poop butt."

Yes, I know calling your son a, "poop butt" probably isn't something you should admit to but when he reads that on his screen the giggles explode into full blown laughter. And notice the part when I said, "he reads that," because Harry doesn't read yet. But when it comes to a scatological insult he make the effort to read it and then he will painstakingly type that insult so that he can send it back to his mother.

So the math drill transforms into a stealth reading lesson.