How to Improve Children's Math Skills Over the Summer

Over a long summer break, children can forget many of the things that they learned in school. Keep your child on top of school by working with him or her through summer break. Have fun with your children by sneaking math in in unexpected circumstances, and they will not even know they are learning.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Flash cards
• Worksheets
• Stickers
• Inexpensive prizes
• Calculator

1. Let your child play math games on the computer. Find math websites or buy CD-ROMs with math games. (See Resources below.)

2. Review math basics with flash cards. Challenge your child with a few more difficult flash cards each day.

3. Go shopping. Give your child a calculator and have her add up your purchases. Help her figure out sales tax.

4. Play math games. Look at teacher supply stores for board games and other math game ideas.

5. Have your child so math on worksheets. Give a small reward for each worksheet completed.

6. Let your child empty all of the money from your wallet and count it. Have your child count and roll coins.

7. Take family surveys to find out favorite foods, colors, sport, candy and other items. Have your child make a graph of the results.

Tips & Warnings

• Buy small candies and toys at a dollar store for rewards.
• Offer your child a big prize for a certain number of math activities completed and correct.
• Ask your child's teacher for summer learning ideas.

Who Can Help:

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Resources

• For Internet-based math games, visit Kid Sites.
• Get math teaching ideas by visiting ABC Teach.