Dear 2 + 2 = 4, 

There are many ways you can support math learning that don’t necessarily involve sitting your child down with worksheets or quizzes. Big areas of math learning that can easily be supported at home are number sense, measurement, money, time, and math facts (addition up to 12 +12 and the corresponding subtraction facts, multiplication up to 12 x 12, and the corresponding division facts). Even having a family game night can support math learning! Games such as yahtzee, shut the box, or any card game where you have to count points are great. 

Going on a road trip during the upcoming breaks from school? There are various counting and math games you can play with license plate numbers - keeping a tally of the number of plates you see from different states, or adding up the numbers within a license plate! (Speed math!) 

Baking and cooking are a favorite involving fractions and measurements, and are great for kids’ learning. They provide real-life, sensorial experiences with quantity and numbers that help build a foundation for solving abstract math problems.

Coming up to the holidays, children can use a budget to purchase gifts, or use cash for transactions at the store and count their change. Giving them some independence with a small sum of money might lead to very interesting discoveries! Older children may be interested in finding out about larger transactions within the household budget, or how bank accounts, credit cards, taxes and tipping at a restaurant works.

Again, especially for younger children, any real-life experience with numbers, counting, quantity or measurement helps them develop a number sense that will be invaluable to their math learning later in life! 

Your friend,

Maria