With summer fast approaching we wanted to take some time and explore different ways you can engage your children with math while they are not in school. One way to continue mathematics through the summer months can be done through games.
Playing a game is a fun and engaging way to explore math concepts with children of all ages. Whether you pull out a board game, engage in an online game that involves math, play Eye Spy outdoors, or pull out a piece of paper and a pencil to play a quick game of Tic Tac Toe, you are working to build a strong foundation and love for math in children.
Games have the potential to help students develop a strong Number Sense and computational fluency. From fundamental early number concepts such as counting and quantity, to gaining a familiarity with patterns in our number system (10, 100, 1000) to developing multiplicative thinking through the use of arrays, games promote a strong sense of number in children and provide meaningful insight into children’s mathematical understandings.
When choosing a math game, keep in mind the following considerations:
What mathematical ideas or strategies is the game developing?
Would the game be best played competitively or cooperatively?
Does the game emphasize thinking rather than speed?
If you are looking for ideas for games to play, please visit the Supporting Math Learning at Home page.