Helping your Child Learn Math

Math on the Go

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• Parents and the Schools
• What Should I Expect from a Math Program?
• What We Can Do To Help Our Children Learn?
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In this busy world, we spend a lot of time in transit. These are some projects to try while you are going from place to place.

While you're moving, have your children keep theft eyes open for:

• street and building numbers;
• phone numbers on the sides of taxis and trucks;
• dates on buildings and monuments; and
• business names that have numbers in them.

Index of Games and Activities

1. Number Search
2. License Plates
3. Total It
4. How Long? How Far?
5. Guess If You Can

The object is to look for numbers around you: on cars, buses, subways, and on foot.

• Some type of transportation or
• A place from which to observe
• Paper
• Pencil
• Ruler

1. Create a chart that lists the numbers from 1-50.
   
   
2. Write down each number as family members locate that number on a car, a sign, a building.
   
   
3. Write down words that have numbers in them such as "one-stop shopping," "two-day service," or "Highway 20."
   
   

This is a great challenge for family members of all age, because even young children can learn to recognize numbers.

License plates have numbers and are fun to use to play games while on the go.

• License plates
• Paper
• Pencil

1. Copy down a license plate. Read it as a number (excluding the letters). For example, if the license is 663M218, the number would be six hundred sixty-three thousand, two hundred eighteen.
   
   
2. Find other license plates and read their numbers. Is the number less than, greater than, or equal to yours?
3. Estimate the difference between your number and another license plate. Is it 10, 100, 1,000, or 10,000?
   
   
4. Record the names of the states of as many different license plates as you see. From which state do you see the most? Which has the fewest? Prepare a chart or graph to show your findings.
   
   

These activities encourage reading, recognizing numbers, noticing symbols, writing, counting, and graphing.

This is a good game for practicing quick mental computation.

• License plates

1. Call out the numbers on the license plate.
   
   
2. See who can add the numbers up correctly. What strategies were used? (Were the numbers added by 10's like 2+8; were doubles like 6+6 used?)
   
   
3. Try different problems using the numbers in a license plate.
   
   For example, if you use the plate number 663M218, ask, "Using the numbers on the plate, can you:
   
   make a 1 using two numbers? Yes, 3-2=1.
   make a 1 using three numbers? Yes, 6-(3+2)=1
   make a 1 using four numbers? Yes, (6+6)-8-3-1
   make a 1 using five numbers? Yes, 3-[(6+6)-8-2]=1
   make a 1 using six numbers? Yes, 8x2-(6+6)-3=1
   make a 2 using 1 number? Yes, the 2.
   

The problem solving and computation going on in your child's head is very important. It helps your child be creative with numbers.

Many times when you are on the go, you are headed somewhere that requires you be there by a certain time.

• Information about how far you're traveling and how long it will take

1. Ask your children how far they think you are traveling. Yards? Blocks? Miles?
   
   
2. Talk about how long it takes to get there. If it is 3:15 now, and it takes 45 minutes to get there, will we make it for a 4:15 appointment? How much extra time will we have? Will we be late?
   
   

These types of questions help children see the usefulness of understanding distance and time.

When children practice asking questions about numbers, they can develop an understanding of the characteristics and meanings of numbers.

• Questions about numbers

1. Let your child think of a number between a stated range of numbers while you try to guess the number by asking questions. Here is a sample conversation.
   
   Child: I am thinking of a number between 1 and 100.
   
   Parent: Is it more than 50?
   
   Child: No.
   
   Parent: Is it an even number?
   
   Child: No.
   
   Parent: Is it more than 20 but less than 40?
   
   Child: Yes.
   
   Parent: Can you divide this number up into 3 equal parts?
   
   And so on ...
   
   
2. After you have guessed your child's number, let your child guess a number from you by asking similar questions.

The questions asked demonstrate many different levels of math. They can serve as learning tools for explaining concepts. For example, you can take the opportunity to explain what an even number is if your child does not know.