Everyday Math

Everyday math. For some of your kids, the thought of having to so math everyday is too much! They are already complaining about doing their regular math curriculum. They say that they'll never use it in their daily life when they grow up. Help them see how math is used everyday with these fun activities.

Younger Students

1. Card games Keeping score is a great math lesson, especially when your elementary student realizes they can add and subtract negative numbers - a skill most kids don't encounter until middle school. Here's an easy math game you can play with cards...deal cards to each player. Start with 2 cards each and add more for increased difficulty. Players add up the cards in their hands. Highest hand wins.

2. Play store Keep a jar with real money especially for this game. Not only does it teach money counting skills, but your child can practice writing money amounts on price tags and practice adding when someone buys more than one item.

3. Cooking An all time fractions favorite! Pretend you are going to feed a big crowd and try tripling the recipe.

4. Conduct science experiments that require recording of data. This allows you to teach how to make charts, and graphs of all kinds. Even something as simple as graphing the weather over a period of time with a bar graph it a fun activity for younger students.

5. Math word problems are more fun if you call them “ math mysteries.” The same goes for math puzzles and brain teasers, like Suduku.

6. Get busy Time your child doing juming jacks? How many can she do in 15 seconds, 30 seconds, etc? This doesn't just teach counting, it starts giving them a sense of time. Buy your child a watch and ask THEM what time it is!

It is easy to incorporate math lessons into everyday activities when children are young!

Middle and High School Students

Some of the math ideas for younger students will work for older ones as well. Others may be harder to do everyday, but are still worthwhile activities.

1. Fill out tax forms There is no better preparation for real life than figuring out how much money you actually get to take home from your paycheck!>

2. Builid a scale model (not from a kit) or do a scale drawing of your house or yard. This is great practice for an aspiring architect or designer.

3. Plan a trip start to finish, complete with destination, mileage, and budget. If you are really adventurous take the trip and see if you stay within the budget.

4. Manually track an investment This covers math, economics and possibly government.

5. Keep a checking account This might seem obvious, but the number of college freshmen who cannot do this accurately is shocking. Don't let your child be one of these poor souls!

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