3 Fun Ways to Stop the Math Summer Slide

Summer and math are (and always have been) poles apart from each other. Summer vacations are meant for late breakfasts (aka brunches), virtual games, swimming lessons, outdoor fun and above all, zero math. Mathematics is a subject which needs constant practice; the more you slog at it, the better you get. And, of course, summers are definitely not meant to be spent slogging over math problems, are they? That’s why most kids fall prey to the deadly summer slide, more so in math as compared to other subjects.

Here are 3 fun ways to try and slow down (if not stop) this inevitable summer slide in math:

1. YouTube videos are all the rage these days. Just run a simple search like ‘fun math videos for kids’ and you’ll be greeted by loads of fun stuff, from basic kindergarten and preschool math involving colorful animals prancing around to alligators and friendly monsters imparting math education. Introduce your kids to them for a fixed time duration daily to ensure they don’t forget the basics learnt over the last school year (especially useful for younger kids).

“icon-graphics” by jean_victor_balin is licensed under CC by 2.0

2. Does your child enjoy watching and/or playing sports? Summers could be the perfect time to catch up on ongoing events in the sporting world and teach math using sports. Encourage your child to keep track of scores and in the process, grab the opportunity to introduce her to the basics of statistics. Sports events more often than not show pie charts and bar charts on television, in between matches. Improve your kids’ understanding by having a full-blown discussion regarding the same after each match and see how they grasp stuff quickly since it’s something that interests them.

3. Any summer vacation is incomplete without the ubiquitous board games or card games. At our place, Monopoly has been the all-time favorite game of several generations, played by several generations as well at the same time all together! (Needless to say that this has resulted in a large chunk of the game money to go missing followed by newly purchased Monopoly sets from time to time. I’ve lost count on how many Monopolies we’ve owned – and lost – in the last couple of decades.) Counting out money is fascinating for all kids since they aren’t used to handling money on an everyday basis. Make your kid the ‘banker’ of the game, entrusted with the responsibility of handing out the required denominations of notes to the other players. They’ll end up getting familiar with counting out the change and it’ll hold them in good stead in the years to come.

Joanna Christodoulou from the Harvard Graduate School of Education couldn’t have put it better when she said: “Reading activities are often part of the fabric of a family’s daily life. But if you try to imagine a bedtime math routine, as you might for reading, the idea of winding down by completing math equations doesn’t elicit the same interest. The issue isn’t that engaging math activities are not available outside of school, but rather that it is easy to overlook the presence of math in everyday activities, like measurement in cooking, calculation when dealing with money, or distance while driving.” (You can read the full article here.)

Do you have any other interesting ideas that can be added to this list?

Easter Math Riddles

Easter and Math do not generally go together; true that. But then, riddles can go along with pretty much any subject, Easter being no exception. Here’s how you can design simple, Easter-themed Math riddles for your kids.

“Framed Math Girl” by JayNick is licensed under CC by 2.0

Have an incomplete riddle as the question that needs to be solved in the beginning. Here are some examples:

• A rabbit with fleas is called ____. (Answer: Bugs Bunny)
• How do Easter bunnies stay healthy? (Answer: Eggsercise)
• How did the soggy Easter bunny dry himself? (Answer: Hare Dryer)

Now divide the page into two parts. The left half should contain math problems; simple addition and subtraction for younger kids, the more complicated multiplication and division for older kids. Just the signs (+, -, x, /) need to be missing, shown as an empty block. The right half will have four columns, each headed by these signs and corresponding alphabets under each. The correct sign for each equation should have the corresponding alphabet under it for each problem, so as to make up the word in a correct sequence once all the problems are solved. The children are required to figure out the correct signs in each case and circle the letter under the correct sign. Once all the problems are correctly solved, simply list out the alphabets in their correct order at the bottom of the worksheet and you have the answer to your riddle!

3 Interesting Ideas for Preschool Math

Talk preschool math and you need to think of beginning with hands-on activities. Sorting out different colored objects such as beads or macaroni or lego or soft toys could be a good way to start, followed eventually by simple preschool math worksheets. Turning any math sorting or counting activity into a story can also be immensely helpful in getting the children hooked on to your tale – one can always include spiders and monsters and kittens and puppies into small math games and have the preschoolers learn without realizing the fact that they are actually being taught numbers!

“Framed Math Girl” by JayNick is licensed under CC by 2.0

Here are three interesting ideas with respect to counting, measuring and identification of shapes which can be useful in introducing your little ones to basic math.

Counting Fun: Anything that is brightly colored and looks attractive generally catches the fancy of a preschool kid. Counting can be made a fun activity by introducing many different colored objects in it. One exciting way could lead you to the kitchen to look for some uncooked spaghetti. Get hold of some colorful plastic beads and let your little one try and identify each color before threading a bead onto the spaghetti. Set a rule beforehand, like one spaghetti stick will contain only one color and (say) 10 beads in all. Another interesting counting activity could be carried out with a pack of playing cards. Sort out all the picture cards and the aces and set them aside. You’re now left with number cards only. On a drawing board, pin up the numbers 2-10 of a single suit and ask your little one to match each number on its corresponding one on the board, that is all 5’s together (4 in all), all 6’s together and so on.

Measuring Fun: The focus here will be not on accuracy but on getting preschoolers acquainted with the art of measuring substances they encounter on a daily basis. The easiest way to do this is by allowing them to assist you while cooking. Have a notebook open with basic measurements penned down for a simple dish like a salad – 2 tomatoes, 3 onions, 4 carrots and the like. This could be followed by the more complex ‘3 spoons of sugar’ or ’100 ml of water’ in a measuring cylinder, depending on what is cooking.

Shapes Fun: Preschoolers usually begin their math learning by identifying shapes of different kinds. A good idea is to try out this simple activity which requires just a piece of chalk and an empty backyard with a floor that can be drawn on. Draw out different basic shapes – square, rectangle, circle, star – on the ground using chalk; each shape should be big enough to be able to accommodate a single standing kid. Now associate a particular action with each shape – e.g. hop on one leg in a triangle, jump thrice in a square and so on. The kids will have fun prancing around the shapes; hopping, skipping and jumping.

The key in all these activities is ‘the fun factor’. Because when it comes to math with these little kids, teaching moments need to be disguised with play (read more here). Do you have any interesting ‘fun’ ideas that can be added to this list?

3 Fun Math Board Games

"Goose Game" by Skitterphoto is licensed under CC by 2.0

Sum Swamp: Designed for ages 5 and above, Sum Swamp is actually a journey through a swamp which includes addition and subtraction calculations, based on the numbers resulting from rolling the dice. 2-4 players can play this at a time. You could take the Crocodile Short Cut if you’re clever with your numbers, or be caught in an Endless Loop of sorts.

Sumoku: A sort of a numbered crossword board game ideal for kids above 8 years, Sumoku begins with the rolling of a dice, which decides the ‘key number’. Then eight tiles are drawn by a player, followed by tiles added to the board wherein all rows and columns must be a sum to a multiple of the ‘key number’ decided in the beginning. Sounds complicated? Well, it isn’t really, once you start playing. A good form of math practice for young kids.

Pizza Fraction Fun: Identifying basic fraction denominations can now be a fun game for kids in the form of Pizza Fraction Fun. Meant for ages 6-12, it consists of seven different games for kids that start with the basics and eventually progress up to the concept of addition and subtraction of fractions, all by building pizzas. A round of actual pizzas after the game could make it a perfect weekend treat!

Spooky Math Fun with Pumpkin Cookies

Last year for Halloween, we talked about learning basic geometrical shapes with some spooky fun here. This time around, let’s bake some scrumptious pumpkin chip cookies on the occasion and learn about the basics of multiplication alongside.

The recipe is pretty simple. I haven’t mentioned the proportions of each ingredient here since most of us are pretty familiar with the basics of baking cookies and this one is no different. Preheat oven to about 200 degrees C. Have your baking tray greased and ready while you whisk together sugar, vegetable oil, milk, pumpkin, eggs and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. In another, mix flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Add the mixture from the first bowl to the second, stirring gently all the while. A generous addition of chocolate chips comes next. Scoop out spoonfuls onto the baking tray compartments and bake for 10-15 minutes until they turn into a yummy golden brown.

“Bake” by StockSnap is licensed under CC by 2.0

Now for the math. If it’s a preschooler, say each number out loud when you scoop out the spoonfuls onto the tray and let her repeat after you. Once done, allow your kid to count how many of them are in a row (since it’ll be a small number, they should be able to do it with a little bit of help). For slightly older kids, ask them to estimate how many cookies there are altogether on the baking tray without actually counting them out (multiplication tables – say, 4 rows and 5 columns). If you wish to introduce the concept of fractions to them, break a ready cookie into half and then subsequently into four quarters and demonstrate it to them, making sure you have a piece of paper and pencil handy alongside to write and explain how fractions work.

The goal is to make it a fun task and get their basics right in the process. Whether their answers turn out to be right or wrong, it’s a win-win situation all along since everyone is going to have yummy cookies to eat at the end! Happy Halloween!

3 Fun Ways to Teach Kids Math at Home

Math is actually not as dreaded a subject as it is made out to be, provided a teacher inculcates a sense of understanding in kids at an early age. Most people who talk about suffering from ‘math phobia’ have the same underlying problem – they never really grasped the basics correctly. Hence, it is important for kids to get their facts and figures in place right from the very beginning.

Though there is no dearth of cool math games like these that help kids in learning math in a fun way, here are 3 simple ways you could help them with the subject at home itself.

1. Playing with Lego

“Duplo” by WerbeFabrik is licensed under CC by 2.0

Playing with Lego bricks can be an enjoyable way of introducing kids to the basics of math, right from preschool. The colorful bricks are captivating and the kids stay gainfully occupied while playing too since their hands and minds are busy all the while. Here’s how you can begin with a simple game: Use an erasable marker to number 6 bricks of different colors from 1-6 (there can be as many series of 1-6 as there are kids playing). Leave them loose in a pile.

Take a dice and ask your little one to roll it. Ask her to then say the number out loud and look for a brick with the same number. The game is simple – roll the dice, recognize the number, find the corresponding numbered brick and build your tower. Then it is the next player’s turn to do the same. The game continues till one of the players completes her tower with 6 bricks. She is then declared the winner. This is just an example of a very basic Lego game to teach preschoolers number identification.

(Note: In case a number shows up on the dice which has already been rolled in the past, the said player skips her turn.)

2. Gardening with Math

“Child” by sdumas29 is licensed under CC by 2.0

Planting your garden for the season is a fun task, as well as a good opportunity to get your kids to learn some gardening and brush up on their math skills. Bonus: They can get their hands as messy as they want! Start by handing your kids a measuring tape and asking them to take and note down measurements – the size of the planting box, how much space a particular plant needs, and the like. Also, involve your kids in counting out the seeds and/or packets of other supplies too that are required.

Next comes the planting part. Allow your child to use a ruler to measure out the depth at which the seeds need to be planted. Most seed packets have this part mentioned on the backs. Space out the rows between seeds appropriately using the ruler for it as well. Finally, it is a good idea for your child to maintain and update a notebook to record, say, the weekly growth of plants in centimeters and inches.

3. Playing Cards

“Card” by Pexels is licensed under CC by 2.0

Card games can be a good way to spend quality time with the family. You could also use it as an opportune time for your kids to practice basic math calculations. For instance, the game called Go Fish! can help with addition skills. Or else, the evergreen Memory game played using a single deck of playing cards can never go wrong. You could play it like this: Decide on a featured number and remove all cards from the deck that are higher or more than that specific number. Shuffle as usual, placing all cards face down on a flat table.

Each player has to flip two cards from anywhere to find a matching pair. Say, the number you’ve chosen is 7. Then its pairs could be (6+1), (5+2), (4+3) and so on. The player who manages to find the maximum number of matching pairs emerges as the winner.

Simple and fun, aren’t they? Do add more ideas to this list if you too use some fun methods to teach kids math at home.

Learn Math, Earn Screen Time

Image courtesy: Scholastic

Screen time refers to the use of any electronic screen such as television, laptops or desktops, DVDs, tablets, smartphones or electronic games of any sort. With kids preferring to spend their time glued to screens for long hours rather than playing games with their peers outdoors, screen time is becoming a big problem for parents in the present day and age.

A group of researchers at Grand Valley State University in the US has come up with a novel educational approach to help such parents – an app called ‘Test 4 Time!’ that tests kids with age-appropriate math questions. One question correctly answered on the app translates to one minute of screen time for the kids. The greater the number of correct answers to math problems, the more time a child gets to spend online.

Tim Smock residing in Forest Hills is to be credited for this idea in the first place. “I would write down 20 math questions and tell my son that if he answered them, he could have one hour on the Wii. I wondered if this process could be automated and came up with the idea for Test 4 Time!”

A wonderfully innovative idea – learn math and you get to earn screen time!