Do you want your child to consider a career in STEM? While most parents know the importance of reading books with their children, there is less parenting help for math. Here are some ideas of how to raise a child who loves math:
Talk Positively about Math
Was math hard for you? Many adults have bad feelings about their own math abilities. Don't pass on your own insecurities to your children. Talk positively about math. Doing fun activities that involve math with your child can help you enjoy math too.
Teach Math as Problem Solving
When adults or children dislike math, it is usually because they think of math as doing arithmetic problems and memorizing facts. While that may be a necessary part of learning math, problem solving is really what math is all about, and problem solving is challenging and fun.
Show Children Math in Everyday Life
Make math real by helping your child solve real-life math problems. Have them help you match socks, count red cars, or measure out ingredients as you cook. At the grocery store, have them help you count out the right number of apples to buy, or help you weigh your bulk food items. Try these PBS activities to help them see that math is everywhere!
Play Math Games Together
At Kids Konnect children learn math through games. Many simple card games like War, Go Fish and Memory include math concepts like counting and matching. Take time at home to play math games together. If you think about it, you probably already know games that include math concepts like comparing, estimating and counting. For more math game parenting help, check out Education.com.
Go to Science Museums
If you want your child to love math, help them understand how math connects with science by visiting the California Academy of Science, the Exploratorium and Lawrence Hall of Science. While there, help your child see how problem solving helps scientists. Follow up at home with the museums' online activities and apps.
Do you have a favorite math game to play with your children? Share it below!