6 Ways to Help your Kids Improve their Math Skills
Spending time with your kids is essential to encourage them to hone their math skills. This can be done in a number of ways, including number games, daily practices and basic programming. It has always been believed that kids with strong math skills find programming interesting. However, it has been observed that coding for kids can actually help them get better at math. Even though there have been myths about kids learning how to code, there is always another side of the story to know off. Here is how you should help your kids improve their math skills.
Build structures using Lego blocks
Get your children to participate in projects that involve counting, addition or multiplication. This can be done by building structures out of Lego blocks or even shoeboxes. If your kids love outdoors, get them to build a tree house. Building structures using blocks can also help your child think spatially. Encourage building cuboids with cubes and so on.
Play decoding games
Begin with training your children to recognise numbers. Once they can do it fairly well, write all the letters alphabet on a paper. Leave space below each letter to write a corresponding number. Ask them to identify 'a' with 1, 'b' with 2 and so on. Get them to practice scribbling coded messages and send them to you. Games that involve coding for kids have a mystery element.
Play grocery store games
The supermarket can be an exciting place to involve kids in counting games. Take them down the aisle and point out at random items and their costs. For instance, if a pack of cookies costs $1.59, ask your kid as to how much three packs would cost. Talk about the multiplication process and tricks of rounding up and subtracting the difference. You can also give them $5 and a pencil and paper. Now ask them to determine how to spend them on fruits.
Play number games at the restaurant
Math can be fun even when you're eating out. Pick up the menu while waiting for your order and ask your kid to point out the cheapest item. Ask them to find all the items between two different costs too. Ask them what two/three items can be ordered for $9.
Get them to join coding classes
Get home an inexpensive computing kit like the Raspberry Pi. Start at home with web applications or beginner books on coding or have them join kids' computer programming classes. Using resources like Tynker, you can teach your kids to understand abstract concepts better.
Coding for kids can improve their math skills by encouraging critical thinking, sequencing and visualisation. Coding classes by professionals can help each kid focus well. Moreover, coding classes use fun programming games.
Introduce them to kitchen mathematics
Taking mathematics to the kitchen can not only make learning more enjoyable but makes cooking interesting. Ask them how many more tomatoes would it need to double the amount of sauce. Ask them to put twice as many olive slices on the pizza as there are mushroom slices. Encourage multiplying for doubling. Use interesting items like chocolate chips to help them build their estimation skills.