Making math basics easy, one sum at a time

When starting to learn addition and subtraction, children may hit a roadblock. Learning numbers can seem easy but to combine or divide them can seem difficult. But you can help make maths easy for your children. From using every day activities to introducing them to learning games, here are five tips for learning addition and subtraction and make numbers fun.

1. Let’s eat numbers

Does your child like gummy bears or other candies? Let them count how many gummy bears they have on their plate. Do they like chocolates? Let them count the number of pieces in a bag. Start with one and ask them to add one more to it. Now they have two. Continue this process till it becomes fun for them and they start doing it on their own. Use the same trick to teach them subtraction. Give them five gummy bears and ask them to count. Now remove one from the plate. Voila! They are left with four. The best part for you? You can do this with anything that they like to eat.

2. Colour your way through maths

Colouring is definitely a good way to keep your child engaged while you finish your chores. But what if colouring could also teach your children addition and subtraction? Use colouring as a learning game. Draw a pie or a grid or a big flower. Now give your children simple addition problems. Let them solve the equation and then colour the answer. For example: What is 1+1? If they can give the correct answer (in this case 2) then they will colour two parts of the pie or two petals of the flower. This will keep them engaged and make it easy and fun for them to complete their math homework.

3. Create board games

Let each clue of the board game be an addition or subtraction problem, similar to snakes and ladder. The answer to every addition sum will make them move ahead in the game. If they land on a subtraction sum then the answer will make them go backwards. The more number of addition problems they solve correctly, the faster they win the game. Keep some double digit addition problems. Correct answers to these will help them jump ahead in the game. Children learn best when they play games. Let their learning be a fun way to pass time rather than a task to complete every day.

4. Play online learning games

Kids today spend more time on smartphones and tablets, almost to the point of addiction. But you can help your child turn an addiction to education. Instead of taking away the gadgets, make them a tool to help your child with addition and subtraction. Simply download quality learning games for kids  and let them play while they learn. These will make their time spent on gadgets more useful and introduce them to more useful games.

5. Use everyday games to teach maths

Do your children have a favourite game? Do they play with action figures or build towers with Lego? Why not count the number of action figures they have or the number of bricks they use to build their tower? After a hard day’s work, this can prove to be an effective way of spending time with your children while helping them learn.

Do you have a fun way of teaching your children math? Share it with us in the comments below.