Michael Ymer - Maths for Parents

HELPING YOUR CHILD WITH MATHEMATICS - PRINCIPLES & ACTIVITIES

Week 7 – 25th August

#5 Maths Principle – Mathematical Words

Use mathematical words when you describe things.  For example, instead of saying, “the big red bucket,” you might say “the 10 Litre bucket.” Instead of saying “the large packet of rice,” you might say “the 2kg packet of rice.” In this way, children get to hear quantities being stated as an everyday way of describing things.

#5 Suggested Activities – Time

It is important that children can read both analogue (clockface) and digital time.  It is useful to get them to learn to do tasks, such as

• Setting alarms, which not only require setting up a particular time, but setting it for particular lengths of time.
• Asking “what is today’s date?
• Keeping track of family birthdays and knowing when they are coming up.  E.g. “It’s Harry’s birthday in a week.”
• Using and reading timetables; “What time train would we need to catch, to get to the football by 1:30pm?”
• Asking time calculations; “How long is it from now until bedtime?

Have Fun with Mathematics

Janine Hough