Want some ways to enrich math at home? Would you also like to add to your child’s academic growth and support their learning in mathematics in a simple, easy-to-do way?
HowtoLearn.com expert, Andrea Goddard from Legends of Learning offers some practical suggestions to strengthen your child’s education in math at home.
What’s even better is that she places an emphasis on raising creative, inquisitive and compassionate children at the same time you’re upleveling math at home.
Here are 7 Ways to Enrich Your Child’s Math at Home:
1. Make math at home part of your daily life.
Incorporate mathematics into your daily routine to illustrate to your child that it extends beyond the classroom. Motivate your child to explore and inquire about their surroundings, and seek chances to utilize mathematical principles in your everyday activities.
When in the car or on a walk: Look for patterns (in gardens, on houses, on signs).
Go on a shape scavenger hunt.
Estimate the amount of time or steps it will take you to get to your destination.
When cooking include your child in: measuring ingredients halving and doubling recipes, calculating elapsed time and more.
For example, determine the time dinner needs to be started in order to eat by 6:00 p.m. Can you see how much your child can have with these math at home activities? Plus their math skills will only get better over time.
2. Use games and activities to make learning fun.
Make learning enjoyable by incorporating games and activities into your routines.
To make math more interesting, choose games that align with your child’s interests and hobbies.
For instance, if your child enjoys soccer, you can utilize the ball to teach math concepts such as angles and trajectories.
Where you place your foot when kicking the ball will help determine the direction in which the ball will go.
Children enjoy games that offer rewards and recognition for accomplishments. If your child likes video games check out Awakening from Legends of Learning.
Kids are rewarded by winning battles for answering math and science related questions.
Institute a family board game night. Yahtzee, Parcheese and Monopoly are great games that incorporate math skills at various levels.
Chess is a game that incorporates a lot of problem solving skills.
3. Read books about math and science.
Encourage your child’s interest in math by reading books related to the subject.
Select books that are both age-appropriate and captivating.
Numerous picture books, novels, and non-fiction books are available that can make learning math an enjoyable and fascinating experience.
4. Watch educational television shows or videos.
There are many great educational videos and television shows available online that can help your child learn about math. Look for videos and shows that are age-appropriate and cover topics that your child is interested in.
PBS Learning Media has several educational shows pertaining to math (Odd Squad, Cyberchase, Math Mights).
Check out the free videos on platforms like YouTube to add extra support to your child’s math at home activities.
5. Do math investigations together to enrich math at home activities.
Create math related games using toys or objects around the house.
For example, count how many books are on the shelf or how many socks are in the laundry basket.
Point out shapes in the environment.
Find patterns in everyday objects, such as stripes on a shirt or tiles on a bathroom floor.
Measure objects around the house. Compare the size of different objects and order them from smallest to largest.
Use food to help demonstrate fractions.
6. Join a math club.
Joining a math club can help develop math skills and knowledge. Many clubs offer hands-on activities, games and mock competitions where students work cooperatively to problem solve.
Most schools offer clubs either before or after school.
Check out scouts (math badges), or online clubs such as Trapezium Math.
7. Encourage curiosity and creativity.
It is crucial to foster your child’s inquisitiveness and imagination. Mathematics is not solely about committing facts and equations to memory; it is about delving into and discovering. In order to help your child excel in this areas you should:
Ask open-ended questions and encourage your child to do the same: These types of questions promote critical thinking and problem solving skills. For example: “What would happen if we invited two extra kids to the picnic?” “How would we have to split up the food differently?”
Prioritize the process over the outcome by motivating your child to concentrate on problem solving methods rather than solely on the final result. This can enhance their critical thinking and analytical abilities and also stimulate their creativity to find solutions.
Celebrate creativity: Recognize and applaud your child’s inventiveness to build their self-esteem and inspire them to explore fresh ideas and approaches.
Urge your child to inquire, experiment, and investigate the world around them. When You Wonder You’re Learning is a book that highlights the significance of curiosity in children and can be a great parent resource.
When integrating these strategies into your routine, it’s important to start gradually and progress steadily. Incorporating math into your daily activities does not need to be a significant time investment.
Start by involving your child in some of your day-to-day tasks that involve math concepts, which will help them see the connection between what they learn in school and the practical application of those skills.
By incorporating these techniques into your routine, you can help your child cultivate a love of learning and set them on a path towards success in mathematics.
With 30 years of experience in public education, Andrea Goddard, is now serving as the Director of Curriculum and Academics at Legends of Learning. Her mission is to engage students in meaningful learning experiences and add to their education by including math at home activities.
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