How to Improve Math Skills for Kids

Every recipe includes math.

Math requires a positive attitude, good mental stimulation and encouragement. Use situations in daily life as teaching tools to help improve math skills. Math that is motivating and entertaining will earn the best rewards. The philosopher and physician, Albert Schweitzer, states that teaching should be accomplished by example. Improve math skills by asking students to reiterate what they've learned by activities including converting recipes, counting money or practicing math skills online.

Instructions

Everyday Math Situations

1. 

   Involve your child in sports where they must keep the score.

   Enroll your child in a music class, a dance class, an art class or in an opportunity to learn a new sport. Music fosters creativity, imagination, cooperation, discipline, flexible ways of thinking and better concentration, according to King Joe Online. In dance, math problem-solving situations are created. For example, with dance steps, students learn to count by twos when doing the Two-Step or to dance in time to a rhythm. With sports, children can count to keep score or can learn geometry by learning how to angle the bat in baseball.

2. Cook with children and let them work out the math conversions in the recipe. Double or half the recipe and discuss how many cups are in a pint. Discuss how many teaspoons are in a tablespoon or how many pizza slices will be needed if four people are in the family and everyone eats two pieces.

3. Count money with your student at grocery stores. Let them add up items at the grocery store and pay the cashier while you assist. Discuss with your student situations, such as, if they had a ten dollar bill and purchase three loaves of bread, how much change will the cashier give them?

Math Clubs

1. 

   Math clubs can boost math scores.

   Introduce your student to a math club in her school or in her area. According to Arizona Central Online, math achievement clubs boost math skills by making a commitment to fit an academic activity into children's schedules.

2. Organize a math club if your school or area doesn't have one. Contact your school Principal or Superintendent about what you can do to begin the process of organizing a math club.

3. Instruct the math club students to review math over the summer. Organize club meetings and stay in touch over the summer through Facebook, emails, cards and telephone. Give booklets and worksheets to the students and instruct them to practice and complete specific areas throughout the summer.

Online Interactive Resources

1. 

   Kids enjoy playing online puzzles and brain teasers.

   Instruct your student to log onto the Internet and play interactive math games. Math Baseball, Math Car Racing and Math Arcade can be enjoyed for free at Fun Brain Online. Kids can practice with addition or multiplication problems or practice identifying ordered pairs as they sling a gumball at an interactive grid. Interactive online games help students learn in entertaining ways.

2. Log onto the Internet with your student and play an entertaining game with her. Games such as Diner Dash Hometown Hero, where two players can play cooperatively or competitively for tips to purchase diner upgrades. Your student will enjoy bonding time while learning how to organize and add and spend money in a virtual diner.

3. Search the Internet for free printable math worksheets. Math worksheets can be found at sites, including TLS Books online. Offering practice to your student, either in the classroom or at home can boost test scores. Print out timed worksheets, math puzzles and brain teasers. They can prove to be valuable tools to improving math skills.

References

• AZ Central: Math Clubs Help Kids Improve Skills
• Fun Brain: Math Games
• Learning Haven: Math Brain Teasers
• Fact Monster: Cowboy Math
• TLS Books: Free Math Worksheets

Resources

• Math Worksheets Center: 10 Practical Tips for Motivating Kids to Improve Their Math Skills
• King Joe: Seven Things Every Parent Can Do To Improve Math Skills
• Science Daily: Do the Math Dance