5 Ways to Boost Your Child’s Math Skills

1. Fortify the foundation.

Like reading, math is a subject that builds on itself, so you need to develop the building blocks to really fortify that foundation. You might need to go all the way back to basic addition and subtraction facts, and that’s okay! Strengthening your child’s basic math skills will benefit them so much in the long run that it is worth the time and effort spent going back. At KCS, our students use an online resource to help them grow in these basic skills called IXL, a personalized learning resource that caters to each student’s needs. It includes skills, lessons, and games for your child to practice and master those basic skills that they need in order for them to really excel in math as a whole.

2.  Try out game-based learning.

Who doesn’t love a good board game or video game? When kids are learning, but it doesn’t feel like learning, they are more apt to be engaged for longer periods of time than when they are working on things like worksheets. Besides IXL learning games, some other math websites you could check out include SplashLearn, Prodigy, and ABCya. If you’re looking at board games to play as a family, you can’t go wrong with Feed the Woozle (ages 3+), Sum Swamp (ages 5+), and Clumsy Thief Junior (ages 5+). For older kids, you can try Clumsy Thief (ages 8+), Proof! (ages 9+) and Danger Noodle (ages 10+). If worksheets and flashcards just aren’t cutting it, try going the game route and see how that can help. 

3.  Visualize word problems.

Some children are more visual learners than others, and word problems can tend to trip them up if they are unable to visualize what the question is asking them. One way of helping them is to teach them skills to visualize these word problems. Whether you have them draw out what the problem is telling them, or have them use manipulatives, giving them something to look at will help them more easily solve the problem, and it will give them the tools they need to do it on their own. 

4.  Look up math concepts online.

This tip is especially helpful for older students. Even with KCS’s excellent math teachers, your child might be struggling to understand a specific concept and they need a little more reinforcement. This is where a resource like YouTube can come in handy. Sometimes just hearing it explained differently, or from another person, could be the “aha moment” your child needs to master a concept. Utilizing videos is a great way for students to get a little more explanation on difficult concepts, especially when they’re at home and stuck on a homework assignment with no immediate access to their teacher.

5.  Implement daily practice.

Math is a subject that needs a lot of repetition. Whether you use something rote like flashcards or worksheets, or hands-on like manipulatives or toys, your child needs to practice. If your child is especially averse to math, the more hands-on (and fun) you can make it, the better. If you’re going over basic addition and subtraction facts, have them count Legos. If you’re working on the area of an object, get out a ruler and start measuring their favorite stuffed animal. If you’re focusing on money, have them go with you to the dollar store to buy a few items and have them count the change themselves. If they ask you how much longer till dinner, have them calculate it based on what time it is now. When you give your kids an afternoon snack, have your child divide the food evenly with their siblings. The possibilities are endless!

Practice, practice, practice! Math can and will become easier the more your child practices and makes math part of their daily life.