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Summer is for fun, not more school work, right? Actually, there are numerous opportunities that will cross your path during this break from school in which your child can learn and still have fun. Summer break allows for extra time to work with “hands-on” activities that you and your child can enjoy together.
In April, the elementary students enjoyed taking part in a Math Fair here at Pioneer Christian School. Students from Northland International University teamed up with our elementary department to put together an afternoon of fun, hands-on math activities. These activities allowed the children to practice fractions while baking, tell time by being part of a human clock, and use money by shopping at a general store. They also got to practice determining probability, adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fish in the sea. They calculated their pulse at rest and after exercise and practiced finding measurements and volume. Many other activities enforced counting, sequencing, and mental math.
We expect children to be learning these valuable lessons at school, but how often do we take the time to enforce and strengthen these tools at home? As you and your children enjoy the summer break from the classroom, you can still be sharpening their mathematic skills. Here are some activity ideas that perhaps you and your child can participate in that can help keep their minds active while having fun at the same time!
Fractions
Kids love to measure, stir, and put together tasty treats. Use this time to help your child practice his or her fractions. Your child will be able to practice adding or subtracting fractions by simply doubling a recipe or cutting a recipe in half. The sweetest part of this math exercise is that they get to enjoy eating the fruits of their math labor!
Estimating, Adding, Subtracting
The next time you have to grocery shop, use this opportunity to give your child practice in estimating amounts, adding prices, subtracting, and counting back change. Perhaps you can give your child a dollar amount, and have him decide which items he can purchase for that amount of money. While at the register, have him watch the total and see if he can calculate how much change the cashier should return. Have him compare prices to determine which item is the least expensive. You can turn a mundane grocery trip into a very effective and practical math lesson!
Measurements, Perimeter, Area
Your children can have fun practicing measurements with objects around the house. Give them a list of items around your house and yard and see if they can determine lengths. They can practice estimating and then measuring with a ruler, yardstick, or tape measure to find the exact length. Perhaps they can even be challenged to determine the perimeter and area of your yard.
Sequencing and Sorting
For your younger children, a simple project like stringing buttons onto a shoelace or sorting them into color and size groups can give them practice in sequencing and sorting. Organizing cans in the cupboard into like categories can reinforce sorting as well, and it also keeps those cupboards nicely organized! Playing with Legos and colored blocks can have the same effect. Verbally describe a color pattern to your child and then have him create the pattern with his blocks. Any of these simple activities can help refresh those lessons they are learning in the classroom.