Discover more fun games, and activities for you and your kids at PBSParents.org.
There's nothing like a math problem – or worse, a fraction – to get even the bravest parent's heart pumping. Maybe you feel comfortable helping your child with addition and subtraction, maybe you don't. But here's the secret: you are good at math and you practice it dozens of times a day, even if you don't realize it. Going to the store, cooking, driving and even filling the bathtub all involve math skills.
There's no one more qualified than you to help your child learn the skills he or she needs to be successful in math and beyond. With the help of these simple at-home activities, you can make math fun (really) in every day life. By the time fractions come around, you'll know you're already a pro.
Practice measurement skills by building a house for a favorite toy or character like the Cat in the Hat.
Find shapes around your house or neighborhood.
The purpose of this activity is to help your child explore numbers and counting, an important step toward learning how to add and subtract.
Count with George using your hands!
Count different colored objects!
Make patterns with letters!
Hunt for hidden shapes and learn what makes each shape unique.
Help your child compare different items and put them in order, estimate (guess) their sizes, and then measure to find out.
Use a calculator to solve a repeat addition problem and then solve the same problem with multiplication.
Creating a daily schedule helps kids organize events in a sequence and associate events with a time of day.
Help your child compare different containers and how much liquid they hold.
Use spatial skills to put together a map that has been broken up into pieces.
Measure with a favorite character to understand the value of standardized units of measure, such as inches and feet.
Collect small items from around the house and sort them in different ways.
Create a set of number cards from a cereal box with numerals and corresponding dots for a variety of games like "Count and Seek," "Count and Move," and "Which is More?"
Make your own play dough and help your child identify shapes and make patterns.
Experiment with different sizes of non-standard units such as paperclips and pencils.
Use folding paper cutouts and mirrors to investigate lines of symmetry.
Invite your child to help with the sorting you do every day during household chores.
Cooking with kids is a great way to teach kids about measurement and help them learn the language of math.
Play a memory game with numbers.
Practice using position words to direct someone to an object's location.
Kids learn about place value while playing a fun card game.
Help your child develop his/her understanding of direction.
Play games and sing songs that help your child understand and use location words.
Play a game where you and your child describe and name different shaped objects.