Maths can be a tricky subject for children and one they might need a bit more support with both at home and at school. The good news is that, with regular practice and encouragement, it’s something they can get better at over time and become more confident with. If you’re keen to help your child with maths, here are some great tips to get you started from an independent school in Hammersmith.
Incorporate it into everyday activities
You don’t have to arrange formal tuition for your child to help them overcome maths struggles; you can help them develop their skills by incorporating it into your everyday life. Tasks like baking and cooking will help them practise maths through weighing and and measuring ingredients and calculating cooking times, and you can discuss concepts such as time, speed and distance when out driving in the car. You could also challenge your child to add up items in your shopping basket as you go round the supermarket. There are plenty of normal activities that include an element of maths which you can get your child involved in.
Make use of technology
There are so many resources available online to support children’s learning and development, so you should be able to find some apps or games your child can play to help them practise maths in a fun and engaging way. You could also look out for TV programmes which cover the topic and explain it in a way which might be easier for some kids to understand. Technology is particularly good for children who find it easier to comprehend information when it’s presented visually.
Support them with homework
Although you won’t want to do your child’s homework for them, make sure you show your support by encouraging them to keep trying when they’re finding something difficult and pointing them to other resources they can use to help them. If they get something wrong, help them work out where the problem might have occurred and what they’ll need to do to get to the correct answer (without providing the answer of course).
Talk about maths positively
It’s important for your child to hear maths talked about in a positive way. While it’s okay to empathise if you too struggled with the subject, try to avoid suggesting that one’s maths ability is set in stone, i.e. it’s something you’re either good at or not. Instead, help your child understand that, with time and effort, they can get better at it.
