Importance of Math for Children

Math is important for developing motor and critical thinking skills.

You have probably heard many children ask why they need to learn math and when they will ever need to use it. Children should understand that mathematics is applied to practically every aspect of our lives, from money management to calculating distance. Math is even an essential part of developing motor skills, as well as critical thinking skills in children.

Budgeting Money

Children will need to know math in order to budget their money, whether it's money received in birthday cards, money given for lunch or even for making small purchases at the drug store. You can teach your child how to budget money at home by making it interactive and fun for him. For example, playing "store" will force him to learn how to add or subtract his money. Ask your child to find a few items around the house, such as canned goods, and have him pretend he is purchasing these goods. Take on the role of cashier and tell him how much money he will need to give in order to purchase the items. You can use either play money or real money in this scenario. Switch roles between consumer and cashier with your child as well.

Telling Time

Telling time is an everyday necessity. It is important for children to know about the units of time, such as seconds, minutes and hours, and how to evaluate these units in time management. For instance, math is important for calculating the time of day. One exercise you can try with your child is measuring the units of time involved in various activities. You can either find an old clock with movable hands or create your own out of a paper plate and pipe cleaners. Set the hands and ask the child to calculate what time it would be in a given amount of time. You can also ask what time it was 10 or 15 minutes back. Teach them to add and subtract time until the concept is understood.

Calculating Distance and Measurements

Children need to know math in order to calculate measurements, such as inches, feet, yards and miles. Whether it is determining the distance from one place to another on a map or finding measurements with a ruler, math can be applied to these components almost every day. Find a ruler or tape measure and record the length and height of various items around the house. Have your child determine the difference in measurements between items. The same can be applied to distance. On a map, show your child where her town is located then calculate distances from her town to surrounding areas.

Estimating

Not only is math important for accurately calculating measurements and time management, but it is an essential part of estimating as well. Estimating distance, weight, time and money are things we do every day. For instance, asking your child to estimate how much taller he is from his sibling or how much heavier one item is from another, will force him to start thinking more critically using math skills.

References

• Child Care Aware: Everything Adds Up -- Building Children's Math Skills