How to Inspire Kids With Math

Oftentimes when children are learning new or challenging concepts in math, they tend to ask the question, “When am I ever going to use this math again?”

With some math concepts, it seems farfetched that they will be used once the textbook is closed. However, we use math practically every day without even realizing it. From telling time to shopping at the grocery store, we are constantly presented with math problems to solve.

So while math might not be their favorite subject to study, a love for the subject can still be built. This can be done as your child develops a solid foundation of math skills. Once there is a foundation in place, more challenging concepts will be able to be introduced and mastered with less and less frustration.

With math skills, it can also be beneficial in your child’s future career path or extracurriculars they become involved in. To inspire a love of math, share with them all of the opportunities available that include math, especially those that could be of interest to them.

Here’s a list of some ways that math is used:

• Careers:
  • Sports Announcers may utilize Statistics
  • Computer Programmers write and test code
  • Medical Scientists use data that provides insights
  • Animators may create different amounts of frames to form an illusion
• Finances:
  • Budgeting involves thinking about adding and subtracting (income and expenses)
  • Big purchases may include percentages or costs for different components
  • Shopping at the grocery store requires knowledge of percentages, multiplication, and even understanding weights to get to the cost of items
• Cooking:
  • In the kitchen, we use math to measure recipes and understand portions
  • Cooking also includes conversions such as how many cups in a quart and beyond
• Sports and Exercise:
  • Math is used to keep track of scores during sports games and know the number of points needed
  • Exercise routines involve sets and repetitions or different set timeframes
  • Calculating heart rate by counting the beats per minute
• Time:
  • Telling time on the clock as well as understanding how to calculate the time in different time zones
  • Creating a schedule either for a daily routine, travel plans, or school
• Hobbies:
  • Gardening involves measuring or spacing out seeds/plants
  • Building incorporates measuring and understanding quantities of items needed
  • Knitting requires counting, shapes, and patterns

Ways to encourage your child to do more math

To encourage your child to start looking at math as a fun problem that can be solved rather than a frustrating one, you can also incorporate math games into your routine. Playing math games is a great way to spark excitement and prevent any feelings of intimidation. As they’re engaged and having fun, they will be more inclined to develop positivity towards math and be more open to learning.

If you have an early learner who doesn’t seem to be interested in learning math yet, there are some ways to add math into their routine as well. These four easy methods to add math into your routine can fit into your day seamlessly and are a great way to encourage them to think positively about math.

If your child is working on more challenging math such as mastering their multiplication tables, you can also add in creative activities to practice with them so they can get more comfortable with the material.

The Takeaway

The most important thing to keep in mind is that your child can begin to recognize math as an incredible tool and learn to see the value in practicing it. By sharing with them when they will use math in their life and incorporating fun activities, it will allow them to see all the opportunities out there that involve math.

The Kumon Math Program develops strong problem-solving and calculation skills from the four basic operations through algebra and calculus. In the Math Program, students will develop a solid foundation of math skills that can help them excel in and out of the classroom.