Math is becoming increasingly important as a foundational subject that children need to master in order to excel in school and beyond. Children who can do well in math class will get accepted into better colleges and have more opportunities for work available to them. If you want your child to get ahead of her peers in math class, here are some math enrichment ideas that you can do at home.
Play Math Games Together
Math games are one of the best math enrichment ideas at home in many ways because they are fun, can be challenging, include math practice and give you the chance to connect with your child. They do require a commitment of time from you, but you can simply use a family game night to play games together and enjoy this type of connection over the subject of math.
Math games need to be tailored to the age and ability level of the child. For young children, games involving cards and dice where you add or subtract the values can be helpful. For older children, strategy games, such as Sudoku, or games using fractions can help solidify math facts while encouraging critical thinking required in advanced math. Find games like this that you can play with your child or games your child can play independently, and watch as math understanding increases.
Enroll Your Child in a Math-Based Social Activity
Math camp, math clubs and math tournaments all help math to be a social activity and can increase excitement about the subject for your child. The child is able to engage with peers and participate in fun activities surrounding the subject, and this type of enrichment can give him an edge when he returns to school. Check with your local school district, tutoring center or children’s museum to see if there are any programs like this in your area.
Utilize the Computer for Math Enrichment
The computer is filled with math activities and practice that is both fun and engaging to your child. The challenge is less finding something to offer your child as it is finding a program that will provide the right challenge. Look for something designed by teachers or that is written in line with state standards to ensure that your child has the right instruction and practice.
Harness iPad to Provide Math Instruction
Your iPad can be an excellent source of math enrichment and instruction. With the power of technology at your child’s fingertips, you can get access to quality instruction for your child from qualified instructors all from the comfort of your own home.
Consider Thinkster as an example. Thinkster is a standards-based math curriculum placed into a learning app that guides children through instruction at their own pace. It uses instruction at the point of learning to ensure that your child is able to learn at his own pace. If your child is ahead of his peers, you can trust Thinkster to push your child so that he gets the challenge he needs to excel. If you are looking to ensure your child has the right enrichment in math class, but want to avoid the hassle of a math tutoring center, Thinkster is the answer you are looking for.
