Are you the parent of a child who is struggling with maths or lacks enthusiasm for it? If so, then you know just how important it is to encourage and nurture a love of maths in your child. Fortunately, there are several steps that parents can take to help spark an interest in mathematics in their children. From engaging activities and games to finding creative ways to make maths fun, these six tips will help your child become more confident in their mathematical abilities and develop a lifelong love of mathematics.
How to Motivate Your Child to Enjoy Maths
1. Use Games And Puzzles To Keep It Fun
Motivating your child to enjoy maths can be a challenge, but there are ways to make it fun and engaging. One way is by introducing games that allow children to practice their maths skills in an entertaining format. For example, board games such as Monopoly and Yahtzee involve both probability and counting money, while card games can involve basic arithmetic. Making a game out of learning maths is a great way to help kids get excited about it.
Maths puzzles are exciting to kids of any age. They can test their logic with thought-provoking riddles, as well as flex their mathematical muscles by trying out Rubik’s cubes and Sudoku boards. These activities foster fundamental maths skills while providing plenty of fun for youngsters.
Smart parents should take advantage of technological resources to make maths an enjoyable activity for their children. Engaging apps like Zoombinis are entertaining not only for kids, but adults too, and provide a great opportunity for your child to hone their algebraic thinking without realising.
2. Make It Relatable
Another way to motivate your child to enjoy maths is by making sure they understand the basics of the subject matter. You can do this by breaking down complex concepts into chunks that are easier for them to digest, and by providing examples that relate to their current interests or hobbies. This will not only help them gain a better understanding of the material but will also help them see the practicality of using mathematics in everyday life.
While out shopping, you and your child could figure out which product offers the best value. When walking in the park, discuss how the height of trees may be calculated or estimate approximately how many leaves it has. As you go through your day, take a moment to appreciate the symmetry of buildings and other objects. After you finish with cereal boxes, envelopes, or toilet rolls at home, use them for exploring nets – mathematical concepts can be applied in countless ways if you just challenge yourself to view daily activities from a new perspective.
3. Use Practical Activities
Introducing opportunities for hands-on learning can also be beneficial; some children learn better when they interact with materials and tools. As you cook together, for example, allow them to measure ingredients and weigh items.
Once they understand the importance of mathematics, show your child how maths can be applied in interesting real-life scenarios. For example, to build a bridge, engineers must use mathematical calculations for design and budgeting purposes. This will help them realise that maths is more than just numbers on paper: it’s an essential tool used by professionals all over the world.
4. Use Rewards And Incentives
Another strategy for motivating your child to enjoy maths is offering rewards when they demonstrate understanding or reach goals. Incentives could range from extra screen time to special outings like eating at a favourite restaurant; whatever works best for your family can be tailored specifically towards reinforcing positive learning habits and celebrating successes both big and small.
5. Encourage Independent Problem-Solving
Helping children develop problem-solving skills will give them confidence in tackling seemingly impossible tasks – which is especially true if they realise they have the capacity to find solutions on their own without assistance from adults or peers. Encouraging independent thinking with open-ended problems or puzzles can provide an exciting challenge that further solidifies important mathematical concepts.
6. Avoid Negativity
If you’re a maths enthusiast, you will naturally share that enthusiasm with your child. It’s critical, however, to keep quiet about any bad experiences or negative views of mathematics if you had them in the past. This is where much of the unfavourable reputation of maths has stemmed from – so be sure to avoid passing those feelings on.
Motivating Older Children
Inspire the ambitions of your older children by encouraging them to become familiar with maths and its potential. This is one of the most powerful techniques for motivating their learning. Illustrate a few significant statistics for your child and help them explore the numerous captivating and well-paid careers that can be achieved by nurturing their math skills. From 2011 to 2013, the demand for positions where maths qualifications beyond GCSE were a necessity increased by 20%. It’s important for your child to recognize how such an education can benefit their future job opportunities. Additionally, 50% of graduates with a maths degree earn an income of more than £29k each year – compared to only 9% among the overall population. These figures demonstrate that investing in higher-level mathematics studies really pays off.
Maths is the key to success in today’s economy. It equips your child with a skill set that will open up new paths for their future, offering them an opportunity to find well-paid employment and create a secure career.
How You Can Help
From hands-on learning to introducing incentives, there are many ways you can help your child enjoy maths. Showing them the practical applications of mathematics in everyday life and illustrating how it can lead to well-paid careers will also give them a greater appreciation for the subject. With these strategies, they’ll be able to develop problem-solving skills that serve as the foundation for success in their lives. Encouraging their maths education now is an investment in their future that will pay off both intellectually and financially.
How We Can Help
At London International Tutors, we understand how difficult it can be to kindle enthusiasm in students for a subject they may previously have been uninterested in or found challenging. Our team of experienced tutors are experts at fostering such enthusiasm and inspiring students to explore their potential.
Our tutors are dedicated to taking the time to understand each student and their individual needs. They develop tailored learning plans that focus on the specific goals of the student, while also offering guidance, understanding and support. Our tutors strive to make learning fun by incorporating engaging activities into lessons and using interactive teaching techniques. This encourages students to think outside the box, take risks, ask questions and engage with creative problem-solving techniques.
By doing this, our tutors create an environment where students feel motivated enough to explore subjects more deeply than before; and where knowledge is gained not just through memorisation but through experimentation as well. We often hear stories of how students start by hating a subject and end up loving it when they have seen the fascinating applications and possibilities through our tutors’ methods. Our tutors help them see why maths is so integral to many aspects of life, from creating artwork with fractals to understanding physics or engineering concepts.
We believe that learning should be an enjoyable experience which encourages curiosity and allows students the freedom to express themselves while gaining new skills in an inspiring way. With our help, you can be assured that your child will reach their highest potential while having fun along the way.
If you would like to talk about starting sessions with a tutor, for maths or any other subject, contact us today.
