Over the summer months, students lose much of what they have learned, especially in math class. Your child’s teacher may encourage them to work through 3rd grade math worksheets this fall to help make up for what is lost in the summer. Here are some tips to make those worksheets more fun for your child.
1. Time Them
For some children, a simple kitchen timer and a chart can be all that you need to make those 3rd grade math worksheets more interesting. Give the child a worksheet that covers basic math facts, such as multiplication tables, then ask them to solve it as quickly as they can. Set the timer, and see if they can solve the problems in less than five minutes. Record the time it takes to complete the problem, adding one second for every missed problem. Then, repeat the next time, and challenge your child to beat his or her score.
2. Take Them Outside
You don’t have to come up with a fancy game in order to make 3rd grade math worksheets more fun. Sometimes simply changing the location increases the “fun factor.” Take your child outside on the patio table or picnic table, and watch as his enjoyment of the activity increases quickly.
3. Create Worksheet Puzzles
Worksheets that are just row after row of numbers are boring. Some kids take a shine to them, simply because they have a desire to do math, but most find them less than desirable. You can make them more fun by choosing your math worksheets more carefully.
Instead of simply doing the worksheets with the facts, use the summer to find worksheets that include puzzles. Choose worksheets that will engage your child’s mind in solving a puzzle as well as solving math facts, and watch as her interest in the worksheets increases. The puzzle also serves as a check, because the answer will not come out correctly if the problems are not solved correctly.
4. Ditch the Worksheet in Favor of Tablet Instruction
It’s summer, so why should your child be tied down to 3rd grade math worksheets? You can get the same type of practice with tablet-based math activities. Choose a program, like Thinkster Math, that is created by teachers. By giving your child a chance to practice using technology and choosing a program that uses instruction at the point of learning, you can protect your child from the “summer slump,” without the need to force him to work page after page of math worksheets.
