Early Math: How to Help Your Kids Love Math

Early math can lay the foundation for instilling mathematical understanding in your children to
set them up for future success. Memorization may grant kids passing test grades, but
developing problem-solving skills will be necessary for real life. They can thrive with
encouragement and from asking questions. Reading and games shed light on the fun side of
the subject and how it pertains to real-world problems. Learn more about how to help your child
love math in the following ways.

The Benefits of Math

There are many benefits to learning early math for your kids. Early math can provide the
foundation for setting up problems before you begin solving them. Word problems also help pull
information to set up equations correctly. These skills for problem-solving carry over into other
aspects of life. Your child will be more equipped to handle obstacles throughout their lives if they
can learn how to tackle challenges like math problems from an early age.

Teaching Your Kids to Enjoy Math

If you want your children to develop an interest in numbers early, there are a few ways to get
the ball rolling. Here are some tips for how to help your kids love math.

Start With the Building Blocks

Metaphorical or literal building blocks for early math start at home. They can show up in the
form of physical blocks babies begin to play with. As kids grow and become more fascinated
with the world around them, you can incorporate more advanced tools into their playtime. These
can help encourage growth and understanding. Rubix cubes can be an excellent tool to help
children understand patterns.

While they may not understand why they’re making colors match and how they mathematically
equate, this lays a foundation for conceptual interpretation later. By beginning to incorporate
shapes and sizes at a young age, kids will thrive off of their ability to identify and correlate them
with lessons as they enter the school system. Math lessons get more complicated as children
age, but if they have the proper foundation to assist them, they can have less trouble grasping
the concept.

Find Their Learning Style

Everyone has a particular learning style that resonates best with them. By figuring out what
method helps your kids understand and piques their interest, you have a better chance of
seeing problems click in their minds. They could find math more fun when they see how learning
concepts their way helps them grasp what they’re learning more accessibly. Four main types of
learning styles can help your children retain information. These can range from auditory learning
to visual learning.

If they’re hands-on learners, you can incorporate tactical and physical lessons that will make
math more interesting to them. If they learn better through visual presentations, videos and
interactive games online may be a better fit for them. Finding your kids’ learning styles can help
you identify their strengths and weaknesses in learning. You want to ensure you cater to their
strengths while still challenging them to step outside their comfort zone for particular
assignments. Identifying learning styles can help you teach your children more efficiently.

Share Books

Sharing books with your kids and reading together is a unique bonding experience. They can
transport you into an altered reality, shedding perspective on real-world situations and how math
fits into them. Books with math concepts in their storylines generate curiosity and provide
fundamental learning for kids in multiple subjects. These get them excited about the prospect of
adding, subtracting, patterns and measurements. Books can make math fun for children who
may be intimidated by the prospect of math.

Ease Their Math Anxiety

Math anxiety is a genuine concern among kids as they get into more complex problems in
school. Psychologists first noticed this issue in the 1950s, which typically stems from early
childhood when teachers introduced math through tests and memorization. Math exudes fear
that essentially causes the brain to shut down its problem-solving sector. If you have math
anxiety, you mustn’t let it transfer to your children. When teaching them, act confidently in your
ability to find the answer and then show them how to solve it for themselves.

Play Games

Playing online or traditional interactive games with your kids can make math fun for everyone.
This subject is essential in all learning platforms and daily activities throughout your children’s
life. Fun activities can make the complexity of math seem like a challenge kids will want to
conquer and complete. The virtual world of the internet provides a wealth of information for all
learning types. Playing games can foster interest in math and could provide your children with a
fun and educational activity to do in their free time.

Encourage Questions and Independence

There are no right or wrong questions when trying to understand something. Something your
kids ask might seem off-topic to you, but may help them get to the root of the problem. Explain
problems in detail so they can comprehend every step you take to solve equations. Ask
questions that require your children to think creatively and come to their own conclusions.
Encourage them to ask questions no matter what they are.

Fostering questions can apply to all subjects and lessons you teach your kids. Understanding is
the underlying foundation of every solved problem across the board. If your children can relay
how they came up with the answer they did, you and their teachers should consider their
response whether it’s right or wrong. You can take their method and show them that although
their way of thinking is correct, the result was slightly different than expected. This can mold
your kids into thinking independently and finding answers for themselves.

Helping Your Children Love Math

Kids are going to excel in some subjects more than others. What they do well in can change or
stay the same as they get older. Your job is to nurture and guide them in areas they’re good at
and those they find more challenging. If you want to help them develop their interest in math, try
out a few of these tips. They could assist you in your children’s early math learning and foster a
love for the subject that stays with them throughout their lives.