At home maths activities

Fun maths at home - Maths on Toast

  /  Fun maths at home

Creating positive memories of doing maths together as a family is an important step in building a confident, can-do attitude towards maths.

Visit our Activities & Resources page for fun, creative games and activities involving maths. Make a tangram out of a piece of toast, learn about fractions and ratios using multi-coloured sweets and lots more! Plus keep an eye on our blog for more ideas and tips.

Throughout Covid-19, we missed our drop-in library events so we thought – why not bring them to you at home! We launched our monthly online family maths Stay-in Sessions in autumn 2020 and they’re still going strong. Join Susan and Neva – our Community and Schools Outreach team – and discover the maths all around us.   

Summer Fun with Little Robot is a creative maths programme comprising craft, construction, puzzles, maps and games and each activity has a different theme. The series explores a range of mathematical ideas and can be used at any time throughout the year (not just during the summer months!). There are lots of different activities to try and you can do them in any order.

See our previous Summer Fun with the Maths Mates 2021 and 2020 here.

Have a look at our short videos of some of our favourite activities. And check out Maths on Toast Bites, our series of ‘How To’ videos, presented by children aged  8 – 11. Instruction sheets for the activities demonstrated in each film are available to download, so families can try them together at home. They’re also ideal for use in school and community settings.

1. Maths is everywhere. Cooking, shopping, packing things into bags and boxes, planning a journey… even the buildings all around you. The more you look, the more you will see.
2. Being wrong is OK. Don’t feel bad about mistakes – they are part of learning. If you, or someone else, gets to the wrong answer, then talk about it. How did you get there? See if you can come up with a better way to work it out.
3. Believe in your own ability. Everyone has the potential to understand and enjoy maths. One of the UK’s biggest problems in maths education is children ‘catching’ their parents’ own low confidence in maths. If you don’t feel confident, this is more likely to have come from your life experience than your genes. You have the ability: you’ve just not had the chance to develop it. You probably use maths more than you give yourself credit for. So avoid suggesting that people in your family aren’t good at maths. Your children will believe it, and make it come true.
4. Struggling is normal and healthy. If you can’t figure something out straight away, then you’re not alone. In fact, you are sharing an experience with professional mathematicians. It’s their job to get stuck on hard problems – sometimes for years! Some hints for getting unstuck include: Keep trying, try different methods, and try explaining what you don’t understand to someone else.
5. Talking about how is interesting. Different people bring different talents to maths – and solve problems in different ways. If you ask someone else how they worked something out, you’ll learn something – even if you were both right.

Are you having fun doing maths already?

Take a look at our list of family games – many people just don’t notice the fun they are having with maths already.

Lots of activities you do at home are maths:

• Baking a cake involves measuring and shape.
• Measuring children’s height as they grow is also fun.
• Singing ‘Ten green bottles’ is maths.
• There is counting and pattern-forming in knitting.
• The ancient Japanese art of origami is mathematical.

Practising these simple fun things with your children can support the maths that’s taught in school.

Where else can I go for ideas?

National Numeracy have put together a Family Maths Toolkit  which is full of ideas – it’s worth taking a look.

We can also recommend other people’s products like:

• Polydron, which is a colourful shape-based construction kit, or
• Rob Eastaway’s book, Maths for Mums and Dads, or
• Jo Boaler’s The Elephant in the Classroom, or
• Dr Rosemary Russell’s Help Your Child DO Maths Even If You DON’T
• Search for #tmwyk (Talking Math with your kid(s)) on Twitter

What maths, in particular, are you and your child finding difficult? Would you like… a Times Tables Songbook? A Fridge Magnet Pattern Challenge? We’re more likely to develop something new if we know that parents and children want it. Get in touch [email protected]

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35 Active Math Games and Activities for Kids Who Love To Move

Tired of hearing groans when you announce it’s time for math? These active math games and activities will spice up your learning game. They get kids up and moving, using their whole bodies to learn facts and skills. Lots of these ideas can be adapted to suit a variety of math concepts, so choose a few to try out with your own math students.

1. Throw snowballs inside or out

Clip flash cards to plastic tubs, then challenge kids to throw the correct number of large white pom-poms (“snowballs”) in from a distance. If there’s snow on the ground, bundle up and take this one outside to use real snowballs!

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Learn more: Frugal Fun 4 Boys and Girls

2. Stack sticks to practice tally marks

Small sticks are perfect for practicing tally marks. Kids will have fun checking the ground under trees for twigs, then breaking them into pieces and creating tally piles.

Learn more: @amysam623

3. Fish for numbers

It’s so easy to make your own magnet fishing pole. Float some numbered foam fish with paper clips attached, then try to catch the numbers in the right order! (Don’t want to get wet? Just lay the fish on the ground instead.)

Learn more: Buggy and Buddy/Fishing Math

4. Draw and measure shapes on the sidewalk

First, give kids some sidewalk chalk and let them draw a variety of shapes, as big or small as they like. Then, arm them with measuring tapes and have them practice taking measurements.

Learn more: @playexploregrow

5. Stomp and smash on a number line

Grab some paper bags and number them, then shake them out and lay them in a number line. Now, call out an addition or subtraction problem, like 3 + 2. Have a student stomp on the bag labeled three, then on the next two to arrive at an answer of five. (Feeling brave? Try this one with balloons!)

Learn more: Schooltime Snippets

6. Grow fact-family flowers

Pick up colorful fall leaves and write math facts on them. Gather them around a numbered rock to make pretty flowers.

Learn more: @discoverwildlearning

7. Toss beanbags to learn place value

Label bins with place values like ones, tens, and hundreds. Kids toss beanbags into the bins, then count them and see what number they’ve created.

Learn more: Saddle Up for Second Grade/Place Value Toss

8. Form paper-plate number bonds

Pass out numbered paper plates, then have students mix and mingle to see how many number bonds they can form.

Learn more: The Schroeder Page

9. Create a life-size number line

Number lines are wonderful for all sorts of math games and activities. Make one big enough for kids to stand and jump around on using sidewalk chalk (or painter’s tape indoors). You’ll use it over and over again.

Learn more: Childhood Beckons

10. Hit the target and graph

You can teach graphing in lots of ways, so why not make it active? Students throw balls onto a target, graphing and analyzing their throws as they go.

Learn more: Amy Lemons

11. Head out on a plot graph scavenger hunt

Create a map of your school, playground, or other area using graph paper (or even better, have kids help you do it). Then choose plot points for them to visit to find notes or small prizes. They’ll feel like real treasure hunters!

Learn more: Edventures With Kids

12. Roll the dice to count and move

Get practice with low-number counting and addition using action dice. Write activities like “jump,” “clap,” or “stomp” on a small wooden block, then roll it along with a pair of dice. Kids add them up (or subtract if you prefer) and complete the activity the number of times shown.

Learn more: Buggy and Buddy/Math Dice

13. Whack a ball to subtract

You know your elementary math students are going to love this! Build your own whack-a-mole 10-frame with a shoebox and Ping-Pong balls. Then, have kids whack the balls to practice their subtraction facts. So fun!

Learn more: Planning Playtime

14. Make a splash with water balloons

You’re going to need to be willing to get a little wet for this one, but kids simply adore math games (or any games!) with water balloons. Fill and label balloons numbered 1 through 20 (or whatever numbers you’re working on). Draw the numbers in a big circle on the playground. Then, have a student choose a balloon, find the matching number, and head off to make a splash!

Learn more: Little Bins for Little Hands

15. Tell time on a giant clock

Draw a giant clock face with hours and minutes on the playground with sidewalk chalk. Choose two students to be the hour and minute hands, then call out a time and send them out to become the clock. Add more complicated elements by having them add to or subtract from the initial time too. (“Now it’s 23 minutes later!”)

Learn more: Creative Family Fun/Sidewalk Chalk Clock

16.

Have your students hop like frogs, leap like gazelles, or jump like kangaroos. Then, pull out the ruler or measuring tape so they can measure the distances they’ve covered.

Learn more: Coffee Cups and Crayons

17. Jump to math facts practice

Lay out a grid like the one shown that has the answers to whatever set of math flash cards you’re currently working with. (This teacher used masking tape; you could also do sidewalk chalk on the playground.) Two players face off, one on each side of the board. Show the flash card, and kids race to be the first to jump to the correct square with both feet inside the lines. Get all the rules at the link below.

Learn more: Teaching and Tapas

18. Run a flash-card race

Tape a series of flash cards to the floor and challenge kids to see who can correctly make their way from start to finish the fastest. They can call out the answers or write them down, but they have to get it right before they move on. Kids can race side by side or work independently to beat their own best time.

Learn more: There’s Just One Mommy

19. Catch a math beach ball

Beach balls are so much fun in the classroom. Scribble numbers all over one with a Sharpie, then toss it to a student. Wherever their thumbs land, they add (or subtract or multiply) those two numbers together before tossing the ball to the next student.

Learn more: Saddle Up for Second Grade/Beach Ball Math

20. Do a number dance

Kids who love “Dance Dance Revolution” will get into this one. Make a number mat for each student like the ones shown. Flash an equation with an answer between 10 and 99 on the screen. Kids figure out the answer and jump to put their left foot on the correct tens place, right foot on the ones. They’ll be dancing and spinning as they learn!

Learn more: Number Loving

21. Groove with angles

Teach kids about transversals and the angles they create with some fun dance moves! Get the details for “Dance Dance Transversal” at the link below.

Learn more: Communicating Mathematically

22. Add and subtract by stacking cups

We’re not sure why, but kids simply love stacking cups. Label yours with math problems and answers, then have kids build pyramids and towers galore!

Learn more: The Kindergarten Smorgasboard

23. Measure the height of a tree (no ladder needed)

Kids will be amazed to learn they can measure the tallest tree while keeping their feet on the ground. The link below walks you through the steps with a free printable.

Learn more: From ABCs to ACTs

24. Count and learn on a nature walk

Take an outdoor stroll and practice basic math along the way. This works indoors too—walk the school hallways (quietly) and count doors, windows, posters, and more.

Learn more: Creative Family Fun/Math Walk

25. Hunt for shapes in the world around you

Looking for super-simple and fun active math games? Give students a sheet with shapes to find as you walk around the school or playground. Each time they find the shape, have them trace it on their worksheet and then make a mark to keep track of how many times they’ve seen it.

Learn more: Hands-On Teaching Ideas

26. Steal the balls with addition robbery

Kids compete to see whose basket of balls will add up to the highest amount. The trick? They don’t know at the beginning which balls are worth the most. Learn how to play at the link below.

Learn more: That After School Life

27. Puddle-jump from number to number

Lay out a series of construction paper puddles labeled with numbers. You can call out numbers and have kids jump to the correct one, or have them jump from one to the next in order forward or backward, or even try some skip counting.

Learn more: NurtureStore

28. Paint and hide number rocks

Painted rocks are always a big hit! Have your class help you make these, then hide them around the playground and send kids off to find and answer equations.

Learn more: The OT Toolbox

29. Skip-count along a hopscotch board

A hopscotch board can be used for a lot of fun and active math games. Try it for skip counting: Kids hop along counting by 2s, 5s, 10s, or whatever you’re currently working on. Learn more at the link below.

Learn more: Math Geek Mama/Skip-Counting Hopscotch

30. Aim and throw to practice math skills

Pick up a set of Sticky Darts and draw two dartboards side by side. You can label the rings with any numbers you like. Kids throw the darts and then add, subtract, multiply, or divide the numbers—your choice!

Learn more: Inspiration Labs

31. Design an outdoor board game

Draw a winding path and fill the spaces with math equations. Kids roll the dice and move from space to space (have them jump, skip, or twirl to mix things up). If they get the answer right, they move to the new space. If not, their turn is over. Customizable math games like this can be used at any level.

Learn more: Look! We’re Learning!

32. Turn UNO into an active math game

Grab your UNO deck and get ready to move! Assign each color a movement (hop, touch toes, etc.). As kids draw the cards, everyone completes the movement the correct number of times. Skip and Reverse work as usual, but anyone who gets Draw Two has to draw two more cards and complete the actions on their own while others cheer them on. See more at the link below.

Learn more: Still Playing School

33. Bowl them over while learning math facts

Active math games using recycled materials are economical and good for the environment. Set up empty plastic bottles labeled 1 through 10, then roll the ball to see how many you can knock down. Add up the numbers of the knocked-over bottles to get your score.

Learn more: Learn With Play at Home

34. Compete to win at putt-putt math

Pick up a few dollar-store supplies and make your own putt-putt course. This can be a simple game where kids simply shoot for the highest (or lowest) number. But you can also drive up the complexity by putting equations on the cups that kids have to solve first to determine which is the best cup to aim for.

Learn more: My Catch a Star Classroom!

35. Give a classic game a math twist

Create active math games that give new life to existing resources. For example, add numbers to Twister! For more advanced players, instead of saying “Right hand 5,” try saying “Right hand 14 – 9” to make them think.

Learn more: Math Geek Mama/Twister Math

If you like these active math games and are looking for more ways to move in the classroom, try these 21 Kinesthetic Reading Activities for your most active learners.

Plus, sign up for our free newsletters to get all the best teaching tips and ideas!

Entertaining math for preschoolers, online math games and tasks

HomeExerciseMath

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Learning shapes course

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Part of the whole

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Posal Line

polygon

polygons (1)

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Course Learn numbers

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Number 1 (1)

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Distinguish numbers from 0 to 9 (3) 9000

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Number line up to 10 (1)

Digit 1 (2)

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Digit 2 (2)

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Cheerful count up to 3

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Let's count!

Remove the numbers up to 3

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Consider up to 10

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Tasks for up to 10 up to 10 (1)

Number line problems up to 10 (2)

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Which is in order up to 10?

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Count up to 20

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Correlating objects and numbers up to 20 (1)

Composition of the number 12

Counting in pairs up to 20

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Count up to 100

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Millimeter

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Count to one hundred

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Number composition 3 20 90Ol000 Learning to solve problems up to 10 (1)

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Drag answer

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Addition. Terms. Sum. (2)

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Compare numbers

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Comparison of numbers within 20

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We multiply and divide

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Remember the multiplication table

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Money LOVE

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Composition of the number

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Determine the time

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days of the week (1)

days of the week (2)

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hours with arrows

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Why do we need mathematics?

Mathematics is a fundamental science that appeared at the moment when a person needed to calculate something. We can say that her age is not much different from the age of mankind. Mathematics helps, on the one hand, to develop abstract thinking, on the other hand, to solve applied problems in everyday life.

Mathematical thinking, or mathematical mindset, is based on logic, the ability to build cause-and-effect relationships, critical thinking, the desire to get to the bottom of a question or problem.

Mathematics forms skills that are relevant for any historical period, especially for the present.

What is entertaining mathematics?

Undoubtedly, mathematical abilities are developed by special efforts.

One option is to study mathematics by solving mathematical problems. For an easier and more exciting learning process, a special section is used - entertaining mathematics. In thoughtful game tasks, interesting plots, using humor, the science of mathematics appears in the most attractive form, which is especially important when teaching children. Children's curiosity and excitement allow you to get involved in the world of abstract calculations and go from entertaining puzzles to real complex mathematics.

Why does the child not understand mathematics?

There is no definite answer to this question. Perhaps the child has not yet fully mastered the skills of counting. Here, counting games from very simple to complicated options, for example, with dice (as an option, rpg board games) will help.

Very young children may still have unformed abstract thinking: it is easier for them to operate with visual objects. A parent or teacher always shows the application of mathematics, explaining why mathematics is needed in life.

If we are talking about an older age, then it is possible to structure abstract thinking in the form of diagrams on paper, helping not to keep all the data in mind, but to see the full picture visually.

If mathematics is difficult for a child, it may be worth paying additional attention to the development of imagination. It is not necessary to use the detailed solution of math problems; you can go through mazes, cut out patterns, collect various crafts according to the schemes. Creativity is welcome, because mathematics is not always about dry numbers.

Math in pictures for preschoolers online is now available to every child. The section includes tasks and games in arithmetic for children, exciting tasks that develop addition and subtraction lessons for children. The exercises in this section will help develop attention and concentration, form elementary mathematical concepts in children.

Playful activities

Your child will have a fun and productive time.

Children are engaged with pleasure, are completely immersed in the learning process and achieve results. For children under 6 who have not yet learned to read, we voiced each task.

Cups and medals for children

Awards that motivate children to achieve success.

Each child has his own “hall of awards and achievements”. If the tasks are completed correctly, children receive cups, medals and nominal diplomas. The awards can be shared on social networks, and the diploma can be printed.

Personal training

Fully controlled development of the child.

We save all the successes of the child and show you what you should pay special attention to. Make up your own training programs so that the child develops harmoniously in all the right directions.

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Math tutor for children from grades 1 to 4 at the online school Uchi.

What awaits you

• Classes in game format

  The basis of each lesson is an active quest with fairy -tale characters

• Stocation

  We fix the theory on examples
  and tasks from the school program

• Individual approach

  We select a program of classes for the level of knowledge of the student and learning goals

• Lessons 30 minutes

  The optimal duration is so that the child is not tired and not bored

who is useful for our lessons

• who needs to improve their school grades

  Help a student with homework while parents are at work

• Those who need to fill gaps in knowledge

  Explain the material that the child missed or misunderstood at school

• Those who want to not only understand, but also love the subject in-depth

  We will help develop natural abilities, prepare for olympiads and competitions

What a child will learn

• Learn to work with information in tables, diagrams and diagrams

• will be able to solve text problems of different types, including logical

• Learns how to apply the multiplication table

• will master arithmetic and sort out the basics of geometry

• will be able to use new knowledge in the everyday life of

How training is built

• Conducting an introductory lesson

  Determine the level of knowledge and the purpose of training, draw up a schedule

• Pay Paid Classes

  Choose a suitable number of lessons - 8, 16, 32 or 64

• The child is engaged in the tutor

  Lessons are online, homework is checked automatically

555555555555559

after each other module we send you a detailed report on the lessons

• We increase the level

  The child improves knowledge of the subject - we suggest moving to the next level

See what colorful tasks the students are doing

• 1. Testing

  Determine the level of knowledge of the subject. Testing in mathematics is successfully completed by 50% of candidates. Only half of those who want to pass the first stage

• 2. Trial lesson

  A real lesson, where a methodologist acts as a student. We evaluate the ability to work with children and present the material competently. Only half of the applicants pass the second stage.

Only 1 out of 4 applicants becomes a Tutor at Uchi.Home. Our teachers regularly undergo advanced training and quality control of lessons

Reviews

• Two years ago we met Uchi Doma. Then there were only English lessons. Later came mathematics and programming. My daughter takes all three courses. From the first day, I liked that the lesson takes place in live communication and individually, teachers try to keep the concentration of the child's attention. Very flexible schedule - you can choose a convenient time for yourself. Pleasant bonuses for payment: installment payments and promotional codes for discounts. The staff of this wonderful school is very responsive: there are often problems with sound or video on our part, and the child is alone at home. And employees decide everything themselves. And most importantly, my daughter likes the lessons!

• A convenient format, and teachers are ready for dialogue: you can ask them to leave the program and go through those topics and questions that are needed right now. For example, prepare a child for a test.

• I am very pleased with the clear organization, namely: a large selection of convenient time for classes, feedback from teachers, the program in the subjects as a whole and the conduct of each lesson.

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