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5 Extra Ways To Help You Teach Math Is Fun
Math is one of those subjects that you either love or you hate. Not a lot of people are in between on this one. Some people do well and learn quickly, while others struggle and have a hard time understanding it. Students rarely learn that math is fun.
The traditional way of learning math involves sitting at a desk with pencil in hand and working problem after problem until you remember how to do them correctly. However, this doesn’t work for everyone, and we’re also learning that there are better, more creative ways to learn. If your student finds math to be too difficult or just plain boring, maybe it’s time to think outside the box.
Here Are Five Non-Traditional Ways To Teach Math:
1 Use toys to teach kids how to count, add and subtract. You can use any toy such as stuff animals, dolls, dominos, cars and trucks or a combination of things but building blocks work really well. Use them to sort by shape and size and create patterns using the different colors.
2 Use a toy cash register and play shopping games to help kids learn simple math. Making transactions will help teach them how to add and subtract. It will also teach them the value of each coin and bill as they learn how to pay for items and make change. As a bonus, it will teach them the appropriate way to behave in this type of social setting, which is a skill they will need one day. Taking a casual trip to the grocery store can involve math too!
3 Use Minecraft to capture your child’s attention. When used correctly, this video game has the potential to make math fun so kids enjoy learning. Give your child dimensions for a new structure and have him build it in the game to your specifications. Another option is to use word problems to figure out how many blocks it would take to build a specific type of building or machine.
4 Play cards and board games that require math skills. As your student learns how to play the game he’ll also improve his skills. He’ll learn how to think and add or subtract quickly while having fun and spending quality time with you.
5 Use visual tools to help kids learn math. Visual tools help kids learn and remember their numbers and it teaches them how to do basic math. You can use anything from simple flash cards to multimedia software that teaches math problems in a 3D cartoon format.
Think about the things your student is interested in the most and try to find ways to incorporate that into your lesson plan. For example, if she loves her stuffed animal collection, then use them to teach her simple addition and subtraction or use toy cars to teach him how to count.
When you make learning fun, it takes some of the pressure off and eliminates stress that could be hindering the learning experience. Your kids will feel more relaxed and be more eager to learn, which makes it easier to teach them all about math.
