Maths: Tips for Parents

Kindergarten - 

Weeks 2-3 -Topic: 2D Shapes

Shapes For Kids: The Complete Parents’ Guide To Teaching Shapes

Helping your child learn about shapes and objects

• Read books to your child and talk about the shapes you can see within the pictures, eg ‘The roof on the house is a triangle'.
• Look for objects inside or outside the house that are shaped like a circle, triangle, rectangle or square. Look for different sized shapes and shapes in different positions.
• Involve your child in craft activities such as making your own gift wrapping by printing painted shapes onto paper using corks, empty cotton reels or sponges.
• Make shadows on the ground or on a wall using your body or hands and talk about the shapes.
• Fold paper to make a hat or boat and talk about the shapes made as you fold the paper.
• Collect scrap paper or used gift wrapping and encourage your child to cut and glue pieces to make a picture.
• Play ‘I spy' games and describe things by size and shape, eg "I spy with my little eye something that is big and shaped like a square".
• Make biscuits using cookie cutters or make pretend biscuits from modelling dough. Talk about the shape of each biscuit.

Year 1/2

Week 3 Topic: Position

• Here are some fun ways to teach your kids positional language in a way they will remember.
• What is Positional Language?

Positional language words refer to where things are positioned or where they appear in relation to other things. We also call these “prepositions,” and you may have memorised a list of these words at some point in school. Teaching your kids this positional vocabulary through games and activities will help them grasp the concepts and give them some early mathematics and geography skills. Having an understanding of position in space and how things relate to each other is part of a child’s cognitive development.

Year 3/4 

Weeks 2-3 Topic: Position

Teaching children about using directional language and understanding routes with grid maps can be both educational and fun. Here are some tips for parents to help their children develop these skills:

Start with Basic Concepts:

• Begin by introducing basic concepts like left, right, up, down, forward, and backward in everyday activities.
• Use simple commands like "Go left to the kitchen" or "Move forward two steps."

Use Everyday Language:

• Incorporate directional language into daily routines. For example, when walking or driving, talk about the directions you're going.
• Discuss the cardinal directions (north, south, east, west) in relation to your home or other familiar places.

Create a Home Grid Map:

• Make a simple grid map of your home or a room. Use graph paper or draw a grid on a large sheet of paper.
• Label key areas in the house (e.g., kitchen, bedroom) and practice giving and following directions within the grid.

Play Map Games:

• Create fun games that involve maps and directions. For instance, hide a toy and provide directions for your child to find it.
• Make a treasure map together, marking key locations and using directional language to guide the way.

Explore Outdoor Environments:

• Take walks or outings to parks and use directional language to describe the route. Point out landmarks and discuss the path you're taking.
• Bring a simple map of the area and involve your child in navigating.

Use Technology:

• Utilise map apps or online maps to show your child how to navigate digitally. Explain the symbols and icons commonly used on maps.
• Play interactive games or apps that involve following directions on a virtual map.

Remember that learning directional language and map skills is a gradual process, and repetition and practical application will reinforce the concepts over time. Make the learning experience enjoyable and hands-on to keep your child engaged.

Introduce Grid Maps in Play:

• Incorporate grid maps into play activities. Create a grid on a large surface and use toy cars or figurines to move around following specific directions.
• Build a Lego city with a grid layout and use it as a map for storytelling and exploration.

Read Map-Related Books:

• Explore children's books that involve maps and directions. This can make the learning experience more engaging and enjoyable.
• Discuss the maps in the books and relate them to real-world examples.

Be Patient and Encourage Exploration:

• Allow your child to explore and make mistakes. Learning directional skills is a process, and patience is key.
• Encourage questions and discussions about maps, directions, and routes.

Apply Learning to Real-Life Situations:

• When planning outings or vacations, involve your child in mapping out the route and discussing the directions you'll take.
• Emphasise the practical applications of directional skills in daily life.

Year 5/6

Weeks 3-4 Topic: Whole Number

• Visual Representations:
  • Use visual aids such as charts, number lines, and diagrams to represent millions. Seeing the visual representation can help children grasp the magnitude of large numbers.
• Place Value Understanding:
  • Emphasise the importance of place value. Help children understand that each digit's position in a number represents a specific value, and this understanding extends to millions.
• Real-World Examples:
  • Provide real-world examples of numbers in the millions. Discuss population figures, distances, or quantities in the news or other contexts to make the concept more relevant.
• Number Stories:
  • Create number stories or word problems that involve millions. This helps children relate abstract numbers to concrete situations, making the concept more meaningful.
• Comparisons:
  • Encourage children to compare numbers in the millions. Ask questions like, "Is 3 million greater or less than 5 million?" This helps reinforce the order of magnitude.
• Number Lines:
  • Use extended number lines to represent numbers in the millions. This visual tool can aid in understanding the relative position of numbers and their order.
• Break Down Large Numbers:
  • Break down large numbers into smaller parts to make them more manageable. For example, break down 8,765,432 into 8 million, 700 thousand, 60 thousand, 400, and 30.
• Use Real-Life Examples:
  • Relate the concept of positive and negative integers to everyday situations. For example, use a bank account to explain deposits (positive) and withdrawals (negative).
• Visual Aids:
  • Utilise visual aids like number lines, counters, or colored chips. These can help children visualise the concept and understand the direction of positive and negative numbers.
• Temperature Analogy:
  • Explain the concept of positive and negative numbers using the analogy of temperature. Positive numbers could represent above-zero temperatures, while negative numbers represent below-zero temperatures.
• Consistent Language:
  • Use consistent language when referring to positive and negative numbers. For example, always refer to moving to the right on a number line as adding, and moving to the left as subtracting.
• Real-world Scenarios:
  • Provide examples of real-world scenarios where positive and negative integers are used, such as elevations above and below sea level or gains and losses in a sports game.