Numbers are a foundational concept in math, but the skills of learning how to identify, analyze and apply numbers – both mentally and physically – are important.
Math doesn’t have to be boring and difficult. It can be exciting, challenging and fun for your child. To properly grasp math concepts, children must start cultivating these skills at an early age.
The earliest arithmetic concepts that parents can teach their children at home are addition, subtraction, and counting while ensuring assessment of skills in mathematics.
As preschoolers and kindergarteners mature, kids should be introduced to more challenging math concepts including multiplication, division, and measuring. Now that numbers can represent quantities (1 sandwich), amounts (2 stars), or lengths of time, children can begin to understand this concept (20 minutes).
In this article, we are going to share with you three surprising ways in which you can encourage your child to develop an interest in math at an early age:
Set an example
Adults may remember disliking math in school, but a child’s attitude toward it is not something that should be ignored. Countering your child’s bad attitude toward math can be one of the most difficult parenting tasks. If you have a child who doesn’t like math, you should take immediate steps to turn around this negative attitude.
One of the solutions is to set an example for your child, it can help them learn more about math. In fact, showing how you are capable of completing routine tasks like filing tax returns, and planning your home budget will help your child build confidence in his ability to excel at math.
Help them Practice math every day
Help your child develop a passion for math by helping them practice daily. Encourage them to solve problems involving math outside of school. In the grocery store, ask your child to calculate the price of four cans of tuna fish or their favorite candy.
In the car, while driving them to school or for an errand, ask them how long it will take to travel to your destination based on your speed. In the toy store, encourage them to calculate the price of a discounted toy and how long it will take to save up the allowance to buy it.
Encourage them to play math games
Math is a subject that children can get quite bored of. There are many activities that you can do that help develop math skills in children. Playing math games at home is a great way to stimulate your child’s interest in maths.
For example, they can learn to enjoy games such as chess, dominoes, checkers, Set, Monopoly, Yahtzee and backgammon.
Cribbage is another great choice because it teaches both addition and multiplication skills as well as relaxation.
Some students may decide to take on more advanced levels than others so it is important that you allow your child to play the game according to their own pace.
For instance, playing chess enhances math skills and improves critical thinking by teaching players to consider all possible options. Learning chess also encourages kids to think ahead, plan, and strategize to devise the best possible solutions. For elder children struggling to analyze decision-making, chess analysis assists in becoming better problem-solvers as they anticipate consequences and potential outcomes.