Maths is an important subject throughout life, and not just something kids need to learn to pass exams. Many career choices require good maths and analytical skills, while adults need maths skills for everything from budgeting to baking. However, many kids struggle with maths as a subject and perhaps don’t enjoy it as much as others, so here are some ways you can support and encourage them to improve their maths skills.


Let them help you in day-to-day life

You’ll use maths on a day-to-day basis, so when you do, get the kids involved to help you out. Whether it’s doing maths problems at the supermarket, working out how to adapt a recipe, or counting how many people are sat at the dinner table, you can help kids to practice their mental arithmetic and build their confidence over time.

Play shop

If your kids need to learn about budgeting, counting money and doing simple sums, play shop with them. They’ll love being the shopkeeper and counting out money and change, and over time, they’ll get better at it.

Let them do some logic puzzles

Doing logic puzzles can help children with their analytical skills, which over time, can help them get better at maths. There are lots of free logic puzzles for kids that can be found online, and doing a couple a day will mean they have to sit down and work things through. This will help build their confidence and show them that they can tackle more complex maths problems, so when it comes to working on areas where they’ve had difficulty, they can excel.

Use technology to teach maths

An app or educational software can be an excellent way for kids to improve their maths skills. Kids can learn maths with Sparx, which is provided exclusively through schools currently. Sparx offers an incredible personalised experience that suits each individual learner. It does so by using the latest AI technology to provide questions at the right level for those using it. There are many advantages to using Sparx to improve maths skills:

  • It uses fun, interactive methods to teach maths concepts
  • Kids feel like they’re getting some screen time, even if they’re actually learning
  • Those who excel at maths will be presented with advanced problems, but those who struggle with new concepts will be able to combat each problem at their own pace
  • Educational software is created by experts, so they know how kids learn and what works for them

Maths skills are one of the most important things children learn at school, but it’s a subject that can be hard to get children enthusiastic about. By bringing maths into everyday life, and showing kids it’s not all about complex sums, you can make them more confident. Tools such as apps can be useful too, whether they are a little behind in their class or they have an exam looming, they can practice their skills while still having fun and hopefully develop a lifelong love of maths.

 

Image by Chuk Yong from Pixabay