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Fun Ways to Incorporate Math at Home

As the national leader in emergency response and a leader in early childhood education, we’re providing parents, schools and communities with trusted resources, tools and tips about coronavirus and kids. School closures due to coronavirus shouldn't prevent kids and parents from working on their early math and numeracy skills. Here are some fun ways to incorporate math into everyday routines

 

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Read books that contain mathematics themes with your children

There are books at every grade level that can engage students in thinking about math.

Some of our favorite titles for children up to age 5 include:

  • Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh
  • 10 Black Dots by Donald Crews
  • Press Here by Herve Tullet
  • 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
  • Doggies: A Counting and Barking Book by Sandra Boynton

For elementary school children:

  • Ten Apples Up on Top! by Dr. Seuss
  • Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni
  • Counting on Frank by Rod Clement
  • Two Greedy Bears by Mirra Ginsburg
  • Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin
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Go on a Shape Hunt

Go on a shape hunt around the house or in your community. What shapes can your child find? Look for circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, cubes and cylinders.

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Do projects with your child

Bake cookies or work on a home improvement project. Real-world applications of mathematical ideas, especially measurement, are everywhere!

If you are stringing up lights, work with them to estimate how many sets you will need and calculate the total number of lights used. If you are baking cookies, count out how many cups of flour you need (with young children).

Older children can discuss fractions, or have them figure out what is needed to make a double batch or to cut the recipe in half.

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Sidewalk chalk math

Use sidewalk chalk to draw shapes and numbers on your driveway or the sidewalk in front of your home. Then, play a game with your children!

Call out “square” and ask your child hop to it. Then, ask your child to twirl to the “circle.” You can do this with numbers as well. Ask younger children to “get to 10” and older children to fi nd the answer to “three plus four equals”!

If going outdoors isn’t an option, use construction paper to put numbers and shapes around your house.

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Play strategy games with friends and family

This is a great way to spend quality time. Games we love include Rummikub, Crazy Eights, Monopoly, Jr., Yahtzee, Chutes and Ladders, Uno and other classic board and card games. Play as teams while learning so you can talk about strategy and then move onto playing individually. Have your child make her own board game to share with the family.How would you prepare the recipe for 24 guests?

You’re not alone. As the world’s leading expert on childhood, Save the Children is here to help. Visit Coronavirus and Kids: Resources from Save the Children for more tools and tips you can trust for parents, caregivers, teachers and all those who care about children in crisis.