Math Games For Parents and Kids

Guess Blogger, Dr. Rick, talks about the importance of math games to help kids learn math.


Ten Math Games for Parents and Kids
by Dr. Rick

Why don’t parents spend as much math-related time with their kids as they do reading-related time?

We read with our kids on a fairly regular basis. Read-aloud time. Bed time. Family reading time. Reading signs on road trips. Reading stuff as we’re watching TV. We read with our kids more than we think. So, if we enjoy reading so much with our kids, why shouldn’t we get the same enjoyment doing math with them?

Maybe it’s because math causes anxiety in many parents. (The company I work for, Sylvan Learning, commissioned a report recently that found 97% of parents would rather discuss alcohol and drug use with their middle-school-age kids than talk about algebra.)

Maybe it’s because many of us had bad experiences in math in school. Maybe it’s because math instruction has changed so much in the past few years we don’t feel up-to-date.

Excuses, excuses.

Kids need math more than ever. They need the brain exercise. They need to know the power of practice. They need to recognize the value of perseverance. They need the confidence that comes with success. They need problem-solving skills. They need math for their future jobs.

So, here, in the spirit of encouraging math interaction among parents and kids, are some suggestions for incorporating some math fun into kids’ lives. We can’t allow our math insecurities and anxieties to get in the way of our kids’ success. Some of these ideas are from my own experience, some are from creative math teachers, and some are from a cool website.

1.Keep score. Kids love sports and games, so play up the role of score keeper and “statistics manager.” Help them see the various ways to slice and dice the numbers of a game – most singles in a game since last month, fewest errors in a game against the Bluebirds, highest attendance ever, etc. Let the kids come up with categories.

2.Use manipulatives. Manipulatives are objects that kids can, well, manipulate to visualize the numbers they’re working with. Use egg cartons and raw macaroni to count out arithmetic problems, for example. Or make piles of paper clips, toy soldiers, checkers, marbles, or gummy bears to visualize counting by five or ten.

3.Learn to estimate. Show kids how important it is to learn to estimate. Estimate with them some fun concept – how many slices of pepperoni on the pizza, how many coins in a piggy bank, how many toys on the floor, or how many steps to the second floor? Estimate, then count to check accuracy.

4.Tell time. Telling time is math, too. Make a game out of figuring out how long it will take to get somewhere in the family car. “What time should we leave to get to church at 10:00 if it takes us fifteen minutes to get there? What time should we get up? Have breakfast?”

5.Embrace your junk mail. Junk mail is good for something after all. “If we get ten pieces of junk mail a week, about how much can we expect this month?” To learn sorting skills, categorize the junk mail into piles by senders’ zip codes, types of mail, or the various states they come from. If you get lots of catalogues, use them to “pretend-shop” for stuff using a simple budget. “How many things from this catalogue can I buy for $50?”

6.Guess the number! Guess the number your child is thinking between, say, one and twenty. Ask smart math questions, so she’ll get the strategies for when it’s her turn. “Can I count the number by 3’s? Is it between three and twelve? Is it higher than fifteen?”

7.Use money. “I have three coins in my pocket that equal seven cents. What are they?” As he gets quicker, up the number of coins.

8.Have a “number of the day.” In previous blogs, I’ve recommended having a “word of the day” to encourage reading. Why not have a number of the day, too? Figure out how many ways you can get to your number of the day – how many ways can we add, subtract, multiply, or divide other numbers to reach today’s number?

9.Play store. Kids love to play grown-up. Save old boxes – cereal, cookies, pasta, whatever – and “stock” the shelves of a make-believe store. Have your child put prices on each one. Then, go shopping in his store. “How much for two of these, please? Oh, sir, I just discovered I don’t have enough money. Which box shall I put back to be within my budget?”

10.Use a calculator. Yes, use a calculator. Learning how to use one is an important skill for kids. It’s best to wait, though, until basic skills in adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing are automatic or pretty nearly so. If using a calculator motivates a youngster to learn math quicker, why not use one?

Ask your child’s math teacher for other ideas you can borrow to encourage your children’s interest in, spark their curiosity about, and let them see the relevance of math in everyday life.