12 Tips for Teaching Math at Home

Bonnie and I know how important math skills are for all school-age children – now that Christine’s kids are in High School, early exposure and confidence does a WORLD OF GOOD.

Strengthening easy concepts can be done at home. Often, parents feel overwhelmed trying to teach math skills to their children because they feel inadequate with their own abilities. Never fear – just do it!

We have some everyday suggestions to incorporate these skills into your busy lives. And don’t forget to HAVE FUN!

Around the House

1. Sorting Laundry. Have your child sort the colors. Ask which is biggest, smallest pile and which pile may be the heaviest.
2. Estimate Toys. Have your child estimate how many toys are out in her playroom and have them count the toys as they are being put away.
3. Sorting Toys. Sort favorite toys into categories. Cars, dolls, games can all be sorted out and discover what they have the most of.
4. Add in Easy Math. Add some subtraction and addition with older kids. Parents can ask how many matchbox cars are left over when 2 are taken away.
5. Practice Concept of Time. Use time in your child’s everyday life. Asking them what time it is, and how many more minutes and hours it is until dinner or after-school activities.
6. Calendar Math. Talk about days, months and years using your child’s own birthday or favorite holiday. Do countdowns to a special event.
7. Container Math. Offer several differing sizes of containers. Have your child fill the container with rice or water to discover various properties with volume. This is a great fun for kids to scoop and pour the rice or water into differing sizes of containers.

Food and Shopping

1. Coupon Cutting. Have children cut coupons for you. They can sort differing price-off piles and use them the next time they go to the grocery store with you.
2. Food Fractions. Use food to discuss fractions. Food items like an apple, graham cracker, pizza. You can teach them fraction concepts by dividing the food by half, quarters and whole pieces.
3. Grocery Store. Have your child help you at the grocery store. You can request 10 potatoes, 4 oranges, etc. This will give them a job to do and keep them thinking. The coupons will be great to use at this time too.
4. Rounding Price Game. Round the prices of your groceries. Ask your child to round to the nearest dollar as you shop. Have them tell you the price and teach them how to round the number to the nearest dollar.

Take it Outdoors

1. Outdoor Scavenger Hunt. Categorizing everything in your child’s environment is fun. Have them count cars on a drive down the highway to different flowers in the garden.

We bet that you are already doing some of these in your home! Do you have some to add to the list? Let us know.