Mathematics may be the most challenging subject out there, whether it is for kids or adults but either way a compulsory one to aid in academic and practical life. And in an attempt to make it easy to learn Math, it is ideal that it is done from a very young age. How to teach math may seem daunting but can be fun and exciting for a teacher, parent, and student.
Whether your kid is homeschooled or goes to regular school, learning how to teach math may be a great initiative to mold the child in thinking mathematically. That is why we have devised a list with easy, quick steps to teach Math that is fun and effective and not bound to the traditional style of teaching.
So get your pens and pads to learn few ways beyond pencil and paper to make math fun for kids.
Ways to teach math to kids
Incorporate Math In Games
It is important for children not only to know about the number but also to recognize them and differentiate them in written form. An excellent way to teach mathematic to kids is to use games; it makes it more fun and exciting but allows kids to identify numbers and use them more often (as they will start associating a number with games/fun activities). Hopscotch may be the easiest way to start the fun learning experience for a more indoor sit-down game number puzzle, and Chutes and Ladders may be ideal. For a bit older kids, games like Yahtzee, Monopoly may be a good source of knowing numbers and basic math principles like addition and subtraction. And if giving extra time is not feasible, turning to external help is always okay. The great way is installing mathematical games on phones and tablets, which will keep them hooked, entertained, and informed.
Math In Baking
Baking pizzas is another excellent way to teach basic mathematic principles like addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and even fractions – and not to mention a delicious method, to begin with.
Moreover, it also helps to make kids understand geometry by using shapes from basic to advanced, 2D and even 3D. This will help them to learn and identify shapes and will allow them to explore further possibilities of shapes while having fun, taste, and learning.
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Making Use Of Art
Art itself has great benefits for kids, and when incorporated with mathematics, it not only makes it fun but doubles the benefits while ensuring seamless, effective learning of both subjects. An easy way of incorporating art will be making kids color images according to the numbers on the images.
Another interesting way would be trying origami; the folding of the paper will help with basic math principles such as division and fractions while simultaneously assist in learning tactile geometry. In knowing how to teach math to kids, one thing needs to be remembered that depending on the age bracket, the complexity should be selected, not based on the final look of the design.
Music In Math
Music is a great tool to use for recall purposes, and incorporating it with math will ensure kids’ inclination towards the subject and will help them in remembering numbers and basic math principles.
For a more advanced way of learning how to teach math through music, using music components like a quarter, half, and whole notes (one, two, and four beats) can be very effective in learning and practicing counting. Music can also facilitate learning addition and subtraction, even simple math problems, through using a different number of beats, for example, a quarter note (2 beats) + a half note (1 beat) = a dotted half note (3 beats).
Counting
The most basic yet essential step to get the mathematical juices flow. The best way to foster mathematic learning is to casually incorporate counting in day-to-day life like counting plates on the table, counting fruits, toys while putting them away, counting fingers, and more. Seeing numbers being used in speech, kids will automatically start picking it and doing it themselves. It is important to get the child to familiarize themselves with numbers to transition to basic mathematical principles with ease. And don’t forget to count backward and forward both.
Try An Abacus
This may be one of the coolest gadgets to own as a kid; the colored beads, the wire, and the freedom to explore make it an ideal product to familiarize kids with number identification and basic math principles such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division as well as foster problem-solving skills in them. It is one of the most prominent answers to how to teach math to kids, a great investment indeed.
Occasional Quiz
Adults may not, but kids for sure love challenges, and what’s more interesting than testing them with math equations. From testing them randomly or playing a guessing game, or even scavenger hunts, evaluating kids on their math knowledge can help understand where they are standing and their struggling areas.
Use Daily Activity As Teaching Opportunity
Using math in daily routine may be the most brilliant strategic way of ensuring that the kids learn consciously or subconsciously. Hence adhering to mentioning numbers, using basic math principles is a great way to incorporate lessons without letting them know about it. It can be done in various way that doesn’t require extra time or effort;
– Counting cars at stop signs
– Allowing them to buy several items or play arcade games with a set amount
– Making them count the money/exchange
– Letting them counts days till their birthday
– Asking them to identify various number
– Teaching them how to tell time
– Asking them how much will something cost and how much will they get back if given a big note and other similar questions
These methods will indeed facilitate teaching math to kids while making them enthusiastic and interested in learning more mathematical wonders. We hope this helped in getting some tips and tricks on how to teach math to kids, and trust us, once this mathematical wagon starts to speed up, these little mathematicians will be teaching the teacher (you) math soon.