Children have traditionally cringed when it was time for math class, but things need not be like this. Math can be fun and motivating for children and there are many numeracy games for kids that will help them to become more confident with their basic math skills. In addition, they can help them to develop a solid number sense that will stay with them for life.
The importance of developing a strong foundation in the basics of math cannot be overstated. This is the key to helping your child develop a relationship with math where they understand that the numbers inter-relate. In doing so, they will enjoy learning math and they are much more likely to receive good grades in the subject, which is also motivating for them.
There are many, many websites that offer math practice and games for children that are both educational and fun - leading to motivated learners. Of course, the level of the games and practice depends on the age of your child. It is important to choose sites that offer age appropriate content for your child.
Many people make the mistake of thinking that in order to help their children become good at maths, that they should push a whole lot of concepts onto them. The thinking goes that surely, if your child can work out square roots by age six, then they are in good stead to become maths stars.
In contrast, by pushing your child, they may learn to do math mechanically, but do not really understand what they are doing - that is like being able to speak another language, but not being able to comprehend what you are saying. It is far better to go slowly and allow your child to reinforce the basic skills and develop a very strong foundation across the four operations.
Start out with learning addition basics and then advance to how addition and subtraction are related to each other. Working with mental addition and subtraction at first is very valuable before you move onto learning about written addition and subtraction. After learning addition and subtraction, you can begin to learn the multiplication facts. Again the relationship between addition and multiplication needs to be stressed - multiplication is merely a repeated addition.
Once you child has become confident with addition, then you can begin working with subtraction and reinforce that this operation is the inverse, or opposite, operation of addition. Getting them to fill in the missing numbers by identifying equations such as 8 + ___ = 10 leads them into subtraction.
Once addition and subtraction skills are strong, then you can begin to work on the multiplication times table facts. You should introduce the idea of multiplication as simply a repeated addition. There are many sites out there for developing the multiplication skills. Work on these until your child knows them be heart - instantly and without hesitation.
There are so many fun, effective and educational numeracy games for kids, that you will easily find what you are looking for. Taking things slowly and ensuring that your child has an expansive and flexible understanding of the four operations is essential. Working together for just minutes each day will help their academic skills immensely and it is also quality time spent together as well. When kids really begin to understand the patterns that underscore the four operations they become very motivated and begin to enjoy their learning.
The importance of developing a strong foundation in the basics of math cannot be overstated. This is the key to helping your child develop a relationship with math where they understand that the numbers inter-relate. In doing so, they will enjoy learning math and they are much more likely to receive good grades in the subject, which is also motivating for them.
There are many, many websites that offer math practice and games for children that are both educational and fun - leading to motivated learners. Of course, the level of the games and practice depends on the age of your child. It is important to choose sites that offer age appropriate content for your child.
Many people make the mistake of thinking that in order to help their children become good at maths, that they should push a whole lot of concepts onto them. The thinking goes that surely, if your child can work out square roots by age six, then they are in good stead to become maths stars.
In contrast, by pushing your child, they may learn to do math mechanically, but do not really understand what they are doing - that is like being able to speak another language, but not being able to comprehend what you are saying. It is far better to go slowly and allow your child to reinforce the basic skills and develop a very strong foundation across the four operations.
Start out with learning addition basics and then advance to how addition and subtraction are related to each other. Working with mental addition and subtraction at first is very valuable before you move onto learning about written addition and subtraction. After learning addition and subtraction, you can begin to learn the multiplication facts. Again the relationship between addition and multiplication needs to be stressed - multiplication is merely a repeated addition.
Once you child has become confident with addition, then you can begin working with subtraction and reinforce that this operation is the inverse, or opposite, operation of addition. Getting them to fill in the missing numbers by identifying equations such as 8 + ___ = 10 leads them into subtraction.
Once addition and subtraction skills are strong, then you can begin to work on the multiplication times table facts. You should introduce the idea of multiplication as simply a repeated addition. There are many sites out there for developing the multiplication skills. Work on these until your child knows them be heart - instantly and without hesitation.
There are so many fun, effective and educational numeracy games for kids, that you will easily find what you are looking for. Taking things slowly and ensuring that your child has an expansive and flexible understanding of the four operations is essential. Working together for just minutes each day will help their academic skills immensely and it is also quality time spent together as well. When kids really begin to understand the patterns that underscore the four operations they become very motivated and begin to enjoy their learning.
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