Top Tips for Helping Your Child with Maths
This is a collaborative post.
Maths is a vital element of the UK National Curriculum and a compulsory subject for students until the end of GCSE level. For younger children, maths lessons help them become more familiar with numbers, patterns and shapes, and gradually they will become more competent at complex problem-solving.
It’s important for parents to try and encourage their child to approach maths with a positive attitude and help them where possible. Here’s some advice from a prep school in Surrey.
Practise Money Management
Maths is quite an intimidating subject for those who struggle with it, so try and incorporate it into everyday life where possible, to show your child that it’s not as scary as it may seem.
Next time you go shopping with your child, ask them to add up the costs of each item and determine how much you will have to pay at the till. Ask them how much change you will receive if you pay with a note.
Ask for Help in the Kitchen
Another way to incorporate maths into everyday life is to ask your child to help you with baking and cooking. Preparing food involves measuring, weighing, and calculating oven times.
Your child may also have to convert between different units of measurement. This is a fun and rewarding way to encourage your child to practise maths and become more confident in their abilities.
Play Board Games
There are lots of board games that involve basic sums, like Monopoly for example. This is a chance for your child to develop their understanding of simple calculations in a fun way, in addition to other essential skills.
Praise Your Child’s Efforts
When your child is doing their homework, praise them for working hard and trying their best. In Maths, there is usually a right or wrong answer, and it can be quite demotivating if your child repeatedly gets them wrong.
With that said, it’s crucial to focus on the effort that they’re putting in, rather than the end result so that they don’t feel like giving up!
Ask the Experts
Don’t be afraid to contact your child’s school if you’re looking for more ways to support them with their general education.
The teachers will be able to suggest some learning resources, like textbooks or online games, that your child can explore to help them with their comprehension.
They will also be able to give you more information on the curriculum and what will be coming up in lessons so that you can tailor your at-home activities to complement classroom learning. There are so many ways to build maths and science into the day.
