Maths is often considered to be a very difficult and daunting subject, and can bring out a variety of reactions from children. However, whilst some children enjoy the task of problem solving and completing equations, there are a great handful who may find it quite challenging and even boring at times. As a parent, you hold the key and power to help transform your child’s view of maths, by incorporating fun and engaging activities into their learning routine. By making maths a subject that is enjoyable, you can help to nurture your child’s mathematical skills, boost their confidence, and instil a lifelong love for this controversial subject. The goal at this point is to create an environment where learning becomes exciting and interactive, rather than a dull and tedious task. Every child is unique, so you will definitely have to personalise the overall approach to meet your child’s needs. Below is a blog advised by this boy’s school in St Albans, on how to make maths more fun for your child.
Real life connections
The first step to helping your child change their mindset towards mathematical topics, is by helping them understand how maths is relatable and in fact an interesting subject to study. Show your child how maths is actually present in everyday situations. For example, when you are in the kitchen preparing meals or baking a sweet treat, try and get your child involved in the activity. During this time, they can practice measuring out ingredients or helping you divide the meal into equal sections. Another activity you can do is taking them on the weekly shop, and having them help you compare prices or estimate the total cost of the shopping. By showing your child how to connect maths with real life situations, your child will begin to see how practical and relevant it is to daily life.
Games and puzzles
To get a child interested in anything, you need to take an approach that suits them. And what better route to choose than play! Do your best to try and integrate games and puzzles into your child’s maths learning, as it can significantly enhance their engagement and problem-solving skills. There is an endless selection of board games, card games and of course online platforms, that are specifically designed to make maths a lot more enjoyable. Online games or even traditional card games can easily be adapted to help incorporate mathematical concepts. Puzzles such as crosswords or sudoku, can challenge your child’s logical thinking and mathematical abilities. By turning maths into a playful activity, your child will instantly begin to develop a positive attitude towards the subject, and gradually begin to enjoy it.
Technology
Whilst there is still so much controversy around students being around technology and using screens often, like everything, there is also good that can come with it. In today’s digital age, technology offers a wealth of interactive resources that can help to make maths learning a lot more fun and easily accessible. There is an endless selection of websites, apps, and educational software that help to provide fun and exciting maths games and interactive lessons. Websites and mobile applications such as Khan Academy or Prodigy, both offer personalised maths learning experiences. Additionally, there are many online platforms that provide games that your child can play in their spare time, which help to enhance and develop their mathematical skills. Encourage your child to use these resources as regularly as possible to help support their learning and help them explore mathematical concepts at their own pace.
Making maths more fun for your child isn’t difficult at all. By putting in a little effort and exploring different routes with your little one, you will find your child excelling in this subject in no time.
