Mathematics
There are many math activities that are meaningful and fun, and which will help children explore relationships, solve problems, and see math in a very positive light. You can help your child steer clear of the math phobia you might have known when you were a child.
Math at home is an opportunity for you and your child to talk math -- that is, communicate about math while investigating relationships. The goal of math at home is to have fun! In the kitchen or den, at the local supermarket or on family trips, math games can be an entertaining way to build and enrich your childs math abilities -- from simple computation to understanding more abstract operations and relationships.
Children love puzzles. Using picture puzzles can be a great way to introduce the pre-K and primary grade child to the use of symbols to depict numbers. Using symbols can help the child with counting and determining amounts in a game.
Playing cards also seem to have universal appeal to children. The colors and symbols intrigue and engage children. A variety of number games can be devised to practice addition,subtraction, multiplication and division for children from kindergarten through grade eight and higher.
Let's not forget about the magic of money. How many times did mom say, "He can't add two plus two, but he knows exactly how much money he needs to buy toys or treats." Well, kids are like that -- and coins are a great device for practicing math skills. Younger children will enjoy the color, shape, and pictures on coins used in guessing games, while older children can be enticed to solve problems requiring computation and analysis using coins.
Most of us approach meal preparation as a duty. Why not approach it as a math lesson? Preparing a meal provides an ideal opportunity for children to explore measurement and estimation. Using containers and food items will appeal to most children. Younger children can practice concepts like "more or less" while older children can practice fractions and geometry.
How about math on the go? Besides providing peace and relative quiet in the car, math games involving license plate numbers, road signs or distance and time can also provide a light hearted yet challenging way to practice a variety of math skills. If half the fun is getting there, why not let math be a part of it?
Remember -- the key to supporting math at home is to have fun! If things get too hectic, take a break. Choose the activities that suit your time and mood. If something you try is just too difficult, choose an easier activity. Save the more challenging activities until your child is older.
Try to fit in some math activities every day. Have some fun with math while your kids are young, and they'll find it much easier when they're older!