How to make math fun for kids in grades K-2

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Looking for some math fun to do at home? Read on!

$want kids to love math grades K-2$

(This post contains chapter links.)

Did you enjoy math in school? Exercise you enjoy it now?

Almost children brainstorm life with a honey of math, but that often becomes squelched in early unproblematic school – when math may be perceived equally boring or hard.

But mathematics is fun.

Don't believe me?

Endeavour some of these tips at abode. Yous just might agree!

How to spark a love of math at home – for grades Yard-2

i. Go along the pleasure in math by playing games with your kids.

If the only math you exercise with your kids is flash cards, they're going to miss out. Pull out some of these goodies!

uno attack

Uno Assail – a fun twist on the classic game
Phase 10 – a rummy-blazon bill of fare game

buy it right

Purchase it Correct! – money recognition, adding, and making change for grades ane-3
Dino Math Tracks – counting, addition, subtraction, place value
Sum Swamp – unproblematic addition and subtraction
Head Full of Numbers – for kids fix to make their own simple equations

mancala

Mancala – great trouble solving game – a big favorite for my 6 and vii year old (you don't demand the kids' version)
Hisss – simple strategy game that younger siblings will enjoy too
Problems Trail – another strategy game for kids

qwirkle

Qwirkle – an addictive strategy game
Yahtzee – probability, improver (scoring)
ThinkFun Math Die Jr. – fun for early math learners

2. Modify the way y'all talk about math.

Do you often find yourself quizzing your child? That's normal and even fun for toddlers and preschoolers. "What number is this? How many balls are in the bin? Can you notice the circumvolve?"

While quizzing occasionally has its place (hello, math facts), we need to alter the fashion we speak as our kids get older. Endeavor ane of these.

"Can you tell me why…"
"I wonder if…"
"How did you figure that out?"

3. Get books of riddles, puzzles, and games from the library.

Have y'all always thought about riddles every bit being math related? When your child has to recall through an reply, he'due south learning to puzzle through a trouble. And he'll dearest trying to stump you lot!

4. Requite your child admission to math related toys.

Sit downwardly and play with them together!

wooden blocks

pattern blocks – a staple when I taught first and second grade
Tangrams – promotes early geometry skills
Perplexus – my kindergartner spends a lot of time trying to solve this!
Wedgits – a fun edifice toy
marble run – lots of problem solving goes into making a successful run!

magna tiles

Magna Tiles – our most expensive, but well-nigh played with toy (grown ups love it too!)

5. Use math vocabulary.

Not but "How many sides on a square?" Try this: "How many angles?"

Instead of, "Can you turn the puzzle piece?" you tin can say, "Endeavour rotating information technology."

Not just "If you add 1 and 1, what do you get?" but, "What is their sum?"

6. Give your child time to solve math problems.

I'k non talking well-nigh homework (although patience is required there too). I hateful math that comes upwardly every day. Today my son really wanted to fix the interlocking bookshelf when it came apart. I wanted to practice it myself, but I flake my tongue and let him figure out how the pieces lined upwardly.

Accept yous always posed a math problem and given the answer too quickly? Work on giving your kid time to puzzle information technology out.

seven. Practice fun math investigations with your kids!

When y'all approach these every bit games and non lessons, you might be surprised at how much fun math can be.

a.Guess. "Most how many people do you think are ahead of u.s.a. in line? About how many apples are in this bowl? About how many minutes have we been driving?"

b. Have stats at home or in the neighborhood. Make a graph to show family unit favorites: foods, ice cream flavors, etc. Go for a walk and graph the results: how many neighbors have a car in the driveway, a bird feeder out front, or Christmas lights on the bushes?

c. Play with a calculator.This was the cheapest of the Christmas gifts nosotros gave our half-dozen-yr-old, and it'southward by far the nearly played with!

d. Experiment with the kitchen scale.Which practise you think weighs more: this apple, or this handbag of marshmallows?

due east. Do math bug together.

Before you whorl over and take a nap, hear me out! You lot only demand the correct resources. Try one of these groovy books!

$bedtime math$

Bedtime Math – How about doing a math trouble before bed? Each problem comes in three levels of difficulty, so all the kids can get in on the fun. Be certain to check out Bedtime Math's popular website.

$family math$

Family Math – Lots of creative ways to make math fun at dwelling – with materials you have sitting around your house. The book itself is a little dated, but you'll still detect a treasure trove of activities that will make math-averse kids wondering, "Is this really math?"

viii. Read math related books to your kids.

I'm partnering with Erica of What Practice Nosotros Practise All Day to bring you her signature volume lists for each level of our math appreciation series. I ever observe new books to dearest on her lists. Check out this week'southward!

$math picture books$