Welcome to > parents > recommended learning materials Now, as a general rule, I am opposed to spending money. As I hope I have shown across the website, there are plenty of top quality materials around that are completely free. However, there are also lots of other good stuff out there that is pretty reasonably priced, and I am always getting asked by parents to recommend books or software. And so below you will find a collection of what I consider to be the best stuff around. Clicking on each link will provide you with reviews and further information, as well as the option to buy. Again, if you have come across a really good book, or other learning material, I would really appreciate it if you could let me know here. Thank you.     Out of all the SATs revision guides out there, I find these CGP ones to be the most pupil-friendly, and so ultimately the most useful. There are even a few jokes and cartoons thrown in there just in case enthusiasm starts to wane. Try to encourage your child to not just read the book, but to work their way through the exercises, as only then will the confidence and understanding emerge. Note: This guide is aimed at levels 5 to 8, and so is suitable for pupils sitting the 4-6, 5-7, or 6-8 papers.       The best way to learn maths is to practice, and if you want some extra practice for your SATs exams, then look no further than this little pack, aimed at those sitting between levels 5 and 8. Seven and a half hours of tests, with complete solutions. That should keep them quiet for a while!       I know it is going to sound like I am employed by them, or something, but I am going to throw another CGP book into the mix for GCSE. The problem with a lot of GCSE revision guides is that they are exam board specific, the syllabus is always changing, and they are usually quite expensive. This is a general revision guide, suitable for all ability levels, and is best used in conjunction with the school's textbook. There are plenty of examples, explanations and exercises, and a mock exam paper with complete solutions thrown in for good measure. This is the best I have seen - and I have seen a lot!       If your child prefers a more interactive form of learning maths, then this is not a bad little package. Full coverage of the GCSE syllabus, and plenty of interactive exercises, such as drag-and-drop, which may provide welcome relief. Worth a look.       Here is one for the very keen mathematician who is looking for a challenge. Martin Gardner has been banging out puzzles for ages, and this is probably his best collection. The puzzles are challenging - make no mistake about it - but any form of puzzle promotes the development of thinking skills, which are crucial for success at maths, and many other subjects.       I cannot emphaise enough how important it is that a child gets comfortable and familiar with a calculator. Those that forget them each lesson and have to borrow usually find themselves sat in their exam wasting precious minutes trying to figure where the pi button is or how to write fractions. This Casio calculator is pretty cheap, and will easily get your child to GCSEs and beyond. It also contains a natural display feature which, amongst other things, means horrible answers appear as nice simple fractions. They don't know they're born these days...       Some children may prefer a graphical calculator. Now, whilst these are not really essential until A Level, they do have their uses. Pretty much any graph can be plotted and the effects of transformations and altering variables can be viewed upon the screen. Also, if your child is planning on studying maths at A Level, then it might make sense to get them used to using a piece of equipment like this early on. Anyway, should you decide to buy a graphical calculator, then this one is probably the best value for money in my opinion, doing just about everything apart from doing your exam for you.       These little things are amazing, and are becoming as essential at school as a pen and pencil. Store up to 1Gb of data (which will be plenty) on this, for a very low cost indeed!         This book was written primarily for teachers, but contains lots of good advice and exercises for engaging young people in the study of mathematics. Very clearly written, and overall a pretty good read!       I have recommended this book to a few parents and it has received some favorable reviews. It is written for people who have not studied maths for a while, or who are haunted by some bad experience, and it tries its best to show that maths is nothing to be afraid of! On top of this there are lots of nice little anecdotes, example and interesting facts that you could pass along to your children.     One of the best games around for not only teaching your child crucial multiplication facts, but for also actually encouraging them to do and enjoy maths, which is the most important point of all. Download the demo to see if they like it.     A really nice puzzle game which not only helps develop basic arithmetic, but crucially helps your child develop logic and thinking skills which will leave them well equipped to deal with future mathematical problems.   Just in case you want to search for other products on Amazon, or even try to get these products a little cheaper on eBay, here are two search boxes to help you out!       If you have found mrbartonmaths.com useful, and you have a spare minute, please help support the website by clicking on one of the adverts below. Your support is very much appreciated!