Lockdown Learning: Keeping Maths Fun for Everyone!

These are extraordinary times for families, with some schools only now starting to re-open in certain year groups, parents everywhere are certainly feeling the pressure to ensure their children aren’t slipping academically.

One of our key priorities at Mathnasium is to KEEP MATHS FUN!

We know from experience that children don’t hate maths; they hate the feelings of frustration, embarrassment and confusion that maths can cause. Add in some frustration from the challenges of home-schooling, and the fact that maths is taught differently to how us parents remember; it’s never been more important to find fun ways to engage our children in learning.

So rather than getting frustrated with each other, lighten the mood by playing these as a family:

TOP 5 MATHS & STRATEGY GAMES

1 Shut The Box     

Ages 5+ / 1-4 players     

A great game to practice adding and/or subtracting single-digit numbers. Players race to shut 10 numbered blocks in front of them, thereby “shutting the box”. A real favourite in the centre.

2 Arithmanix

Ages 8+ / 2-6 players     

Similar to Countdown, and just as addictive. This game is all about using mental arithmetic to add, subtract, multiply or divide the right number of cards in your hand… Will you be the master of multiplication or be defeated by division?

3 Mobi

Ages 6+ / 1-6 players     

Think of Scrabble but with numbers! Blue tiles are numbers and white tiles are operations. Players use their tiles to create ‘crosswords’ of maths equations, which can be simple or complex, meaning the whole family can play.

4 Rush Hour

Age 8+ / 1 player             

A sliding block logic game, you have to battle the gridlock as you slide the blocking vehicles out of the way for the red car to exit. With 40 challenges ranging in difficulty, your child can progress at their own speed.

5 IQ Puzzler Pro

Age 6+ / 1 player

Multiple levels of brain teasing fun, for the whole family! This particular puzzle features 120 challenges in three playing modes, including both 2D and 3D!  It’s very addictive and you’ll be fighting over who gets a go!

GENIUS MATHS HACKS

At Mathnasium our ‘mathletes’ use plenty of clever strategies to solve problems, and we’re letting you in on some of our secrets!

ADDITION HACK: Tens are your friend when learning to add!

If your child is struggling to add 9 then try asking them to add 10 first and then take 1 away. Similarly, there’s a quick way to add any ‘teens’ numbers, for example 13 is broken down into 10 and 3, so they can easily add the 10 and then the 3.

SUBTRACTION HACK: You can use addition to solve subtraction problems! 

For example, to work out 74 – 25 you count up from 25 to 30 (5), then from 30 to 74 (44), and add together (5 + 44) to reach 49.

MULTIPLICATION HACK:

Times tables can be anxiety-inducing when a child relies on memory alone. But if they can double a number, they can unlock the [secret] to a number of multiplication facts!

To multiply a number by 2 – we double

To multiply by 4 we double, then double the answer (remembered as “double-double”)

To multiply by 8 we double, then double the answer and then double the answer again (remembered as “double-double-double”).

25 x 8 looks scary and difficult, but 25 doubled = 50, 50 doubled = 100, 100 doubled = 200. Easy!

DIVISION HACK:

We know that any number ending in an even number is divisible by 2, and any number ending in 0 is divisible by 10 or 5.  But what about numbers divisible by 3 or 9?

A number is divisible by 3 or 9 if the sum of the digits is divisible by 3 or by 9, respectively.  So, 87 is divisible by 3 because 8+7=15, and 15 is divisible by 3! And 2,655 is divisible by 9 and 3 because 2+6+5+5=18, and we know that 18 is divisible by 9 and 3! Genius, right?

Mathnasium of Wimbledon is offering FREE trials and assessments, so if you are concerned about maintaining your child’s maths progress or would like to ensure they reach their potential do get in touch. Mandeep Mangat is Centre Director at Mathnasium of Wimbledon and would love to answer your questions:

Email: wimbledon@mathnasium.co.uk

Call: 020 7550 6100

Website: www.mathnasium.co.uk/wimbledon