Are you looking boost your child’s math skills and help them gain confidence? Children develop their mathematical knowledge and skills over time, through connected and meaningful experiences. Montessori Children’s House, a prominent Montessori School in Riverside, California, offers the following suggestions on how you can help your child improve their math skills:
- Make counting a part of everyday life
For instance, count toys, trees on the street, or fruit at the grocery store. Encourage them to count the things around them. Make counting a part of your everyday routine.
- Encourage them to put down the calculator
It may be simpler to use a calculator; however, encourage them to put it down. Instead, ask them to try and solve math problems in their head. This will reinforce math concepts more quickly and help sharpen their math skills further.
- Apply math to real-life situations
Encourage your child to think about how math fits into their day-to-day lives. Furthermore, encourage them to apply math to real-life situations and how to solve problems. For instance, “Since there are 6 cookies left on the plate, how many will you and your sister each get so that it’s a fair share?” “Can you sort your socks by color?” “How many tablespoons are there in ¼ cup of butter” These may sound like simple questions, but it can actually reinforce your child’s math skills.
- Involve your child in cooking
Even young children can help stir, fill, pour, and mix. Through these simple cooking activities, children naturally learn how to measure, count, estimate, and count. Baking, in particular, can be a very good activity for children – not only is it fun and delicious, it involves a lot of mathematical skills as well. Baking involves strictly following instructions and measurements. At its simplest, children love counting out chocolate chips which will be used to make their favorite chocolate chip cookies!
- Build something together
Big or small, try to build something together. It doesn’t matter whether you’re building small infrastructure using Legos or a clubhouse out of shoeboxes. Construction toys, such as Legos, American Brick Blocks, VIAHART Brain Flakes, Wooden Construction Building Set, and other building toys are remarkable tools that incorporate both numbers and spatial thinking into playtime.
- Add math to your bedtime reading
Most parents read to their children at night. Reading math-related stories is an effective way to incorporate mathematics into your child’s daily life, without making it feel like a school assignment.
What do you think about these tips from your friendly provider of childhood development in Riverside, California? Share your insights at the comments section below!
