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Make Math Fun with Games & Other Activities this Holiday Season
By Phyllis G. Weisberg

Many parents say they don’t understand modern mathematics, but it’s not too hard, it’s merely “set language.” Everyone is familiar with sets (a defined collection of something). Everyday you’re sorting laundry or putting dishes into their rightful place in the cabinet, and it’s great to get your children involved; it lays the foundation for sets. Sorting the laundry is particularly helpful: pairs of socks of the same color or size, shirts that belong to the boys, and different colored pants all involve sets. Sorting blocks by color, shape, size and other attributes is another great way to get younger children involved. You can tell them to sort by two attributes: color and shape or color and size.

For the school-aged child, the list of activities you can do at home or while shopping is endless. Board games that require players to toss dice or spin a wheel and ask you to make a number of moves based upon the result are good ways to develop sequential math understanding. Dominoes help because the child must count the number of dots and match them to an equal number. Being the score keeper for a game played with siblings is also a good way to reinforce number skills. To help with understanding division the parent might have the child assist in separating things into segments: 21 cookies and seven plates equals three cookies per plate.

Playing card games such as Twenty-one helps, too. Measuring is fun also. Having a wall ruler to measure a child’s growth and keeping track of it on an entry sheet is helpful, plus it creates a lasting testament to your child’s life, which is special in itself—and your child learns to use a 12 inch, 15 inch or 36 inch ruler.

When you’re at the grocery store, you can even have your child separate the items by the food group they belong too, which helps them learn math and nutrition—not usually an easy task!

There are many other opportunities in the home to develop mathematical skills and reasoning that a parent can develop. This avoids drilling and having the child think that it is like school. Parents can be creative and meet the child’s needs as well as base the activity upon what is being taught in school.

Games For Children Of Every Age Group

With the holidays fast approaching, parents are preparing to buy gifts. But while you may be picking out the latest Nintendo DS game or that pair of earrings your daughter’s been talking about all last month, try picking out some fun math games, too. Here is a selected, but not exhaustive suggested list:

Ages 3-9: GET A JUMP ON MATH lets the child hop and jump over an interactive mat that has four different games at two different skill levels. This focuses on the basic facts of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Ages 7-10: HEAD FULL OF NUMBERS requires the players to roll six dice out of the brainiac-shaped cup. They must combine the digits on the dice using addition, subtraction, multiplication or division. The player who comes up with the largest number of correct equations win.

Ages 8+: MAKE SEVEN has the players take turns dropping colored numbered tiles into slots to make a vertical, horizontal or diagonal row that adds up to seven. It focuses on logical thinking and strategy.

Ages 8+: FLIP 4 focuses on basic math skills and strategies to win. Players roll dice and need to add, subtract, multiply or divide to get on board squares. Players try to “flip” an opponent out of the games.

Ages 8+: MAD MATH is a game of strategy and calculation. Players roll the dice and multiply the results of position pawns. Three in a row wins. There is an addition game for younger players.

Ages 12+: The Mathematics Calendar 2007: This calendar features a different math problem for every day of the year. But there’s a twist: the solution to every problem is the date! Informative facts, math curiosities, and special challenge problems make the calendar a must for your teenager—they’ll not only have fun, they’ll have a head start on all the puzzles and challenges they’ll face on the SAT.

There are many more math games out there. Parents need only to ferret them out from among the many toys and games available.

Phyllis G. Weisberg, Ph. D. is the Coordinator of Graduate Programs at Trenton State College.