You can spend a lot of time questioning the education system for young children. Do they get taught things that will actually be useful in their lives? That’s a debate for another day, but what we can say is they are taught at least one very valuable skill; mathematics.
Everyone needs to understand how to add, subtract, divide, multiple, and so on. Unfortunately, most kids hate math as it just doesn’t interest them. You can remember being in their shoes at one point, being forced to do equations without really caring or wanting to. However, as a parent, you now understand just how valuable of a life skill it is to be good at math. So, how do you encourage your kids to take it seriously and improve their skills?
It’s simple; make it more enjoyable. The more you think about it, the easier this is to do. Here are three tips to help you get started:
Puzzle books
Any subject is more enjoyable for a child when it feels like a game. Math is actually very easy to turn into a game as you can find so many puzzle books for kids relating to this topic. As shown here https://www.pennydellpuzzles.com/logic-math/, you can get logic and math games that your kids can play in their spare time. This is highly beneficial as it gives them something to do outside of typical learning times. They won’t think about doing math – it’ll be more like they’re doing a little puzzle. The more puzzles they do, the better they get at general arithmetic!
Cooking
Cooking with kids is a phenomenal way to introduce them to maths without them even realizing it. Consider this; every aspect of cooking involves some form of maths. You have to weigh things out, add stuff up, and check the time. It gets them using their brain and making equations without knowing that they’re doing it. What you’re aiming for here is to teach them how to develop math skills subconsciously. These skills will transfer when they are in class doing maths, wowing their teachers with how good they are.
Interactive learning
Finally, you can build on the cooking idea and introduce some more interactive learning methods for kids to enjoy. This can include using their toys to demonstrate equations. You hold up three toys and tell them to take one away, then ask how many toys are left. Doing stuff like this is beneficial as it engages your child in the lessons because they’re learning maths through a medium that they can relate to. You use everyday items that they see all the time, so they’re more likely to take an interest. Also, if you can find other interactive ideas that get your kids moving around or being more hands-on, then it will be far more enjoyable.
Math gets a reputation as a very boring and dull subject. Still, it’s one your kids need to grow up learning. If you want them to excel and be set up for a successful future, ensure you make math more enjoyable for them!
