Five fun strategies that parents can try to increase their child’s math interest and help them become math enthusiasts

Math can certainly be one of those school subjects that is difficult to get kids excited about at first. Not only does it require a high level of focus to be able to solve more complex questions such as word problems, long division, and so on. It also can be hard for children to get over the hump once the material becomes more advanced. To say the least, the process of developing a child’s math interest is a very delicate journey that requires patience.

However, math is one of the most useful subjects to master! As famous mathematician and writer, Shakuntala Devi said “Everything around you is Mathematics. Everything around you is numbers.” 

In addition, math can also be a fun and enjoyable hobby! Once a child develops a passion for math, problems turn into entertaining puzzles and learning new material and formulas becomes an exciting accomplishment. In this article, we will be providing a few helpful tips on how parents can boost their child’s math interests. 

Before we get started, if you would like to receive the most up-to-date and hard-hitting information about Bay Area schools (both public and private). Feel free to join this Facebook group below! 

Bay Area Schools & Parents Discussion 

Connect math to daily tasks

One of the roadblocks separating children from becoming math fanatics is the question of purpose. A lot of young students are uninterested in solving problems if they cannot find a reason why they should solve them. 

This is why it is so important to show your child how math is used in daily activities! For starters, have them measure some of their belongings like shoes or toys with a ruler. You can also ask them to tell time on a watch and calculate how many hours or minutes it is till dinner. 

Once they get a bit more comfortable with these types of calculations. Let them add up how much the food in your grocery cart costs. One strategy that will surely get them more excited about math is to have them calculate how much allowance money they need in order to buy a toy or game they want! 

The concepts of time, distance, and money all derive from mathematics. Once children realize this, the purpose behind solving math problems will become a lot more clear and learning math will become a lot more fun. 

Introduce your child to math-oriented games

There are so many math games out there that can help boost your child’s interest in math! Board games like Monopoly are great for showing them how fun it is to count money and use it effectively to make purchases. Another obvious math game that comes to mind is Yahtzee. 

In addition, games such as chess, checkers, and dominos require mathematical skills as well! Having your child count how many spaces are needed to make a move is a good way to get their math brains working. After they develop a liking for these math-themed games. Introducing them to basic Sudoku puzzles is an excellent next step. 

Overall, any of these options and many others are very effective ways to get children to think of math as more of a game than a chore. Once this happens, children will begin to practice math on their own as part of their free time. 

Read math-themed books to your child

Most people already know about the abundance of books that can help increase children’s interest in English, history, and science. However, there is also a wide variety of books aimed at showing kids the beauty of math! 

Reading math books to your child will allow them to become familiar with the subject very quickly. Letting them solve and interact with the problems on the pages is beneficial as well! 

A few examples of math-themed books include Feast For 10, Inch by Inch, Just a Little Bit, and many others. Here is a link to a wide selection of children’s math books that you can read to your little one! 

Make the math excitement mutual

The old saying is “it takes two to tango” and that includes learning math as well! There is definitely a decent population of parents who are not fans of solving math problems. However, if parents want their child to develop a love for math. Then they also need to find that high level of excitement. 

If you show them that you are enthusiastic about solving math questions. It is likely that they will become eager to practice math as well! Children often develop a liking or dislike towards certain topics based on their parents’ feelings towards them. Make sure you are just as ecstatic about math as you hope your child will be one day! 

One way to show off your excitement for math to your child is to give them examples of math-related tasks you complete at work. For instance, if you are an accountant, show them how you add up assets and expenses. If you are a server at a restaurant, show them how you add up nightly tips. 

Be their number-one supporter

The path to becoming passionate in math is not always easy for children. Roadblocks or plateaus that come with learning more advanced math material can frustrate young students and make them want to quit. This is where the parents come in! 

It is so incredibly crucial to support your children throughout their math journeys. Providing them with positive feedback and words of encouragement can make a huge difference in their confidence levels. 

If they get stuck on a problem, try and guide them through it! Even if you yourself are not particularly good at math. There are many resources out there on the internet and YouTube that can help both you and your child work through a tough problem. 

Think Academy’s classes

For those who are interested, we provide numerous different math courses for children in grades K-8. We have short-term basic math classes that can help improve your child’s fundamental math skills. These courses last only about four weeks. 

In addition, we also have K-8 long-term classes to ensure that students master the math material in their respective grades. These semester-long courses are available in three different levels (Advancement, Mastery, ACE) to account for all learning speeds!

Lastly, for students who want to take their math skills to the next level. Think Academy provides math competition prep classes for events such as the AMC 8 and Math Kangaroo. 

You can register for any of our courses by clicking the link here or by downloading our app here.

1-on-1 Evaluation

As a final note, before you register for our long-term courses. Make sure to sign up for Think Academy’s free 1-on-1 evaluation if you have not already! Our 1-on-1 evaluation contains an overview of our mission and academic structure, a 15-question evaluation exam, a one-hour in-depth analysis, and a 15-minute teacher-to-parent discussion. We will provide you with a customized study plan after the evaluation. This study plan will account for all of your child’s learning needs!