Reddit reviews Super Source for Cuisenaire Rods, Grades K-2

Family Math is one of three books in a series (that also includes a younger years book and a middle school book) that is little more than games. They cover everything from simple counting and number recognition to word problems, logical thinking, measurement, geometry, spatial thinking, probability, statistics, estimation, arithmetic, and simple algebra. Used it will cost $5 shipped, and they are great at keeping kids entertained and engaged in math. I play some of the games with a 2-year-old, and some with my 5-year-old, and it's fun even when they don't really understand the games. If it's not enough, get the one for middle school grades and use that instead. These books keep it light and fun, which is really where you want to be with a child so far ahead of the curve.



>for the next three years until school can help me help him, Hopefully?

What kind of school are you looking at for him? The average public or private school is going to sit him in a class of his chronological peers and bore him to death. They can't place him in a higher grade level without him being capable across the board, and even then they will be hesitant to move him too much farther than he should be.

Your son is 3, but his ability to count to 1000, count by 1s/5s/10s, and the rest place him firmly at a post-kindergarten level of math skills. He's special, and that's awesome. There's always a chance that his ability and drive will sort of wane if he loses interest, and his level will regress down to what is normal for his age, but if not then he really needs to not be left to a classroom setting that is almost guaranteed to not be good for him.

>I don't know what skills come next to start introducing to him.

• Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
  
• Number lines (important to get down early, because they setup background needed for graphing points later on)
  
• Estimation
  
• Fractions and decimals
  
• Geometry
  
• Probability: dice rolling
  
• Money
  
• Algebra: using simple variables (X + 2 = 4, solve for X, as opposed to ___ + 2 = 4, fill in the blank) and formulas. The three big gateway math skills are arithmetic, algebra, and calculus. Once you understand one, everything becomes about laying the foundation for the next one.
  
  Another excellent choice at this age is Cuisenaire Rods (that's just the workbook - you would need to find rods as well). They can be used to teach number recognition, geometry, symmetry, number lines, and even algebra. They are extremely flexible as a math learning tool. And they keep kids engaged in physical manipulation of math concepts, which is great.