Maths is an essential part of everyday life – from the basics like counting coins for a coffee, filing a tax return, and even parallel parking, to work-related tasks such as analysing data or drawing building plans. It’s important for kids to grasp mathematical concepts, for now and their futures. We asked primary school teacher and maths tutor Peter Vagne for his best (and simple!) tips on how to help your kids with maths at home.

1. Practice Makes Perfect

Workbooks are a wonderful idea – kids can sit down on weekends or after school and apply themselves to repetitive ‘drills’ that are designed to develop their understanding and proficiency. “If your kids are due to sit the NAPLAN test (in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9), a workbook packed with practice exams and example questions can help them prepare,” says Peter. Get your kids eager to do a workbook by presenting it at the right time, with the right accessories. Choose a time that suits your child – either first thing in the morning when they’re fresh or perhaps in the afternoon after a big play in the park when they’re ready for some quiet time at their desk. 

Add extra appeal by buying cute markers, pencils and erasers to go with the workbook – you’ve suddenly spun it from an educational exercise to a fun, creative and amazing activity. Note, little ones may benefit from a wipe-clean book that lets them perfect their writing and counting skills, to hit those mathematics milestones head-on. According to Jo Boaler, professor of maths education at Stanford Graduate School of Education, regular practice is the best way to help students improve their basic numeracy skills.

What to Try

2. Play Games

Counting toys, including a wooden cash register, wooden fruit and veg, a snakes and ladders game, a clock puzzle and play money, laid out on a light blue surface.

Learning can – and should – be fun! Many leading voices in education believe playing games helps kids build important skills and knowledge to set them up for a lifetime of learning. There are many ways you can encourage your own kiddos to engage in play-based learning centred around maths. Board games and card games teach number recognition and reinforce counting skills. Setting up a pretend “shop” at home using play money encourages mental arithmetic. 

Even simple activities, such as counting jumps on the trampoline, playing with a puzzle or making repeating patterns with beads, can help kids improve their number and reasoning skills. “Patterning is one of the key underlying structures of mathematics. Learning to identify patterns can greatly help a child’s numeracy skills,” says Peter.

What to Try

SEE ALSO: Everything You Need to Know About NAPLAN

3. Use Manipulatives

‍Manipulatives, or hands-on practical resources like counters, are really useful in teaching maths. When kids are learning difficult or more abstract concepts, having a physical model helps them to see and understand what they’re learning. 

“Children who haven’t spent enough time using manipulatives before moving onto the abstract version of the concept are [often] at a disadvantage. They’re more likely to have misconceptions and misunderstandings,” says Peter. “Playing with manipulatives helps students build up a visual picture in their mind which they can later refer back to.” 

You’ll find counters, base ten blocks, foam shapes and an abacus in almost every primary school classroom in Australia but you can stock up on these for home, too. Encourage free play or get kids to practise their counting, as well as all the addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. 

What to Try

4. Roll the Dice

A GIF of two dice being rolled on a blue table alongside a number line.

“Dice games are a big hit with my students,” says Peter. “But while they’re having lots of fun, they’re also developing their number sense and learning to subitize – that means they’re looking at the dots on the dice and quickly knowing what number is rolled without having to count the dots. It’s a crucial skill.” 

Another great tool for working on number sense is a number line (a visual representation of numbers along a horizontal line) to help provide a mental strategy for addition and subtraction.

What to Try

SEE ALSO: 7 Ways to Help Improve Kids’ Literacy at Home

5. Stick up Wall Charts & Play With Flashcards

A times table chart and clock flash cards laid out on a light blue surface.

A wall chart or times tables poster in a spot your child sees daily, such as on the fridge, is handy in so many ways – it helps kids become familiar with important concepts and language; provides visual support while they’re doing their homework or studying for a test; and hopefully creates a positive and confident attitude towards maths. Similarly, a placemat is a convenient reference tool.

“Flashcards are another great way to expose kids to various maths topics and help them sink in. You can look at them together, quiz each other and play games like Snap and Memory,” says Peter.

What to Try

SEE ALSO: How to Set Up a Homework Study Space Your Kids Will Love

6. Explore Measurement Together

Turning measurement into fun games is an easy way to help your kids with maths at home.

‍Understanding measurement and scale is critical to a child’s understanding of maths. By setting them up with mini measurement-based investigations at home, you’re ensuring they’re getting a good grasp on things. “Turn measurement into a game around the house, estimating and comparing lengths and weights of household items. For example, if you have balance scales you can compare the weight of an apple and an orange,” says Peter. 

What to Try

7. Avoid Negativity

Most little ones enjoy counting and learning about shapes – but as kids get older, they are often conditioned to think of maths as being difficult or boring. You can help correct this attitude by considering the way you speak about maths. “Avoid talking negatively about your own skills and don’t label maths as ‘hard’ or ‘confusing’,” says Peter. Display confidence when using maths in your everyday life and talk through your mental processes so kids can understand its relevance and importance in the real world. 

SEE ALSO: STEM Activities for Preschoolers that Teach Problem Solving

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This article was originally published in 2021 and has been updated.