How to Instill a Love of Math In Your Child

Out of all the subjects children learn in school, math has one of the worst reputations. However, it can be an exciting subject to learn about. According to Texas Instruments, 46% of students say they like or love math. This is compared to 24% who dislike it. If you want to instill a love of math in your child, don’t just assume that their math homework will be enough. Instead, you need to make fun math practice part of life. Here are some tips to help you do that.

Incorporate Math Into Everyday Life

One reason children say they dislike math is that they think it has no connection to their real lives. If you want to show your child that this is inaccurate. Find ways to apply the math they are learning in school to your everyday lives. Discuss how math is involved in things like baking or nature. If your child has a certain hobby, connect that with math. By making fun math practice part of other things they enjoy, you’ll solidify their interest in the subject.

Show Your Own Enthusiasm

If you want your child to love math, the best way to do so is to love math as well. If your child sees that you are bored with their fun math practice or that you don’t think about math at all, they won’t be interested either. Make sure that you are involved and enthusiastic as they do their math homework. Talk about what they’re learning in class and stay engaged as they get more confident in their skills. By setting an example of math love, your child will normalize this enjoyment as a part of life.

Play Math Games Together

Make math into a game by doing fun math practice together. You can either get extra assignments from your child’s teacher or look for enrichment materials outside of school. Working together on these math games can help you and your child bond, as well as increase their enjoyment of math.

Instilling a love of math in your child requires work, but it is worth it. Math is extremely useful in everyday life. If your child loves to use it, they will have both an advantage and a creative outlet. Use these three tips to grow this love of math.