How to learn your child with Math

Be positive about math!

• Let your child know that everyone can learn math.
  
• Let your child know that you think math is important and fun.
  
• Point out the ways in which different family members use math in their jobs.
  
• Be positive about your own math abilities. Try to avoid saying "I was never good at math" or "I never liked math".
  
• Encourage your child to be persistent if a problem seems difficult.
  
• Praise your child when he or she makes an effort, and share in the excitement when he or she solves a problem or understands something for the first time.
  

Make math part of your child’s day.

• Point out to your child the many ways in which math is used in everyday activities.
  
• Encourage your child to tell or show you how he or she uses math in everyday life.
  
• Include your child in everyday activities that involve math – making purchases, measuring ingredients, counting out plates and utensils for dinner.
  
• Play games and do puzzles with your child that involve math.
  They may focus on direction or time, logic and reasoning, sorting, or estimating.
  
• Do math problems with your child for fun.
  
• In addition to math tools, such as a ruler and a calculator, use handy household objects, such as a measuring cup and containers of various shapes and sizes, when doing math with your child.
  

Encourage your child to give explanations.

• When your child is trying to solve a problem, ask what he or she is thinking. If your child seems puzzled, ask him or her to tell you what doesn't make sense. (Talking about their ideas and how they reach solutions helps children learn to reason mathematically.)
  
• Suggest that your child act out a problem to solve it. Have your child show how he or she reached a conclusion by drawing pictures and moving objects as well as by using words.
  
• Treat errors as opportunities to help your child learn something new.