How Parents Can Help Their Children In Math Over the Holidays

Many of us are eagerly looking forward to the holidays. But the holidays are also an excellent time for parents to help their children excel in math.

Ways to Help Your Child in Math Over the Holidays

1. Instead of hiding the math folders on the bookshelf until the start of school, insist that your child study for a few minutes each day. Studying for as few as 10 minutes per day helps your child not only remember what he's already learned, but also learn new things he may have missed when they were originally brought up in class. Things to have him concentrate on are notes and textbooks from class, fundamental skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts, memorizing rules and theorems, and solving word problems.

2. Make grocery shopping a lesson. Tell your child your budget and have her estimate if you will be under or over budget after getting the items on your list. For older kids, have them estimate the tax as well and encourage them to help you come under budget. Do you need to wait to purchase a certain item, or go to a different store to make it happen?

3. Let your child help you with some of the cooking, especially the measuring. Although sometimes it is more difficult to cook when kids are in the kitchen, it is a chance for them to spend time with you and learn, sometimes without realizing it, about math. Resolve to have your child help you with at least one dish for the holiday meal. Aside from measuring, children can also be instrumental in determining how long a meal will take or how many minutes or hours until your guests will arrive.

4. Play games with your child. Of course Monopoly is a math based board game, but you don't have to play specific games to help your child achieve in math. Most board games help with analytical thinking so play, play play!

These are just a few ways to help your child in math over the holidays. Use them and continue to help your child become the best that he can be! For additional ways to help your child in math, I've written a simple book of strategies, much like the ones above. It can be accessed at http://HelpYourChildAchieveInMath.com.