There are many, many ways to sneak math into your daily lives, thereby helping your child learn. Here are a few:
• Go shopping. Try to figure out how much something will be at 20% off. How much will the tax be? Do you have enough money? How much will be left over?
• Cook together. Try doubling or halving recipes with your child, and let him figure out the correct measurements. This is a tricky way to learn about multiplying and dividing fractions.
• Get gas. Let your child help you find the cheapest place to get gas. Figure out how much the gas will cost together (multiplication!).
• Count calories. Keep a food log for your family and add up the calories or fat grams.
• Build or sew something. You’ll have to take precise measurements and angles. You’ll need an exact amount of materials. And you have the added benefit of the physical work and finished product!
• Get involved in or watch sports. What better way to learn about statistics!
• Play games. Most games have some sort of point system. Let your child be the scorekeeper. Some great ones are Monopoly (and let her be the banker), Scrabble (and he adds up the points and keeps score), or card games in which you have to bid and keep track of the points, like Rook or Spades.
• Look in the library for books of riddles or logic games. It’s a great way to encourage your child to problem solve.