How to make maths fun

Maths doesn’t have to be scary – with a little planning and creativity, it can be lots of fun!

Taylor Hartley

Author
Taylor Hartley

jill padfield

Expert reviewer
Jill Padfield

Published: October 17, 2023

How to make maths fun

Maths doesn’t have to be scary – with a little planning and creativity, it can be lots of fun!

Taylor Hartley

Author
Taylor Hartley

jill padfield

Expert reviewer
Jill Padfield

Published: October 17, 2023

How to make maths fun

Maths doesn’t have to be scary – with a little planning and creativity, it can be lots of fun!

Taylor Hartley

Author
Taylor Hartley

jill padfield

Expert Reviewer
Jill Padfield

Published: October 17, 2023

Key takeaways

  • Maths is all around us: Once you realise that maths is everywhere, you can see how it helps to make things fun and functional!
  • Get interactive: The secret to learning a topic (and having fun while doing it!) is to be an active participant. Get creative about the many ways you can interact with maths. 
  • Make maths personal: Find ways to make maths relevant and personalised. How do maths topics impact what you already like?

The collective groans of a class as a teacher unveils a new maths topic is known all too well across fiction and reality. However, with a little ingenuity and open-mindedness, you can swap out dread for enthusiasm and make learning maths fun! In this guide, we’ll explore six tips and tricks to help you get started. Let’s go!

Why is maths intimidating for some kids?

Not everyone takes to maths immediately. Some people think better with words or images than with numbers, and these different ways of thinking can hinder new students. Maths also deals with a special sort of abstract thought that can be an obstacle since kids develop at different speeds. 

The idea that a number can represent physical quantities, and then expanding that out to larger and larger numbers, can take some getting used to. Toss in adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing, and these abstract concepts become unavoidable (and headache inducing!). 

Between 60-90% of learners experience dyscalculia, which can lead to further obstacles when it comes to learning about maths.

For these reasons and more, it’s okay to not like maths at first. But if you want to make maths fun, you should see if you can discover the reason for the frustration or boredom that may be standing in the way.

The benefits of making maths fun

When you find ways to make maths fun, your child or pupils will be more able to easily overcome obstacles that make progressing to challenging topics seem impossible. Making mathematics fun can also help inspire a greater love for learning and encourage curiosity about maths and other topics, too.

As kids start to associate fun with solving problems and learning new areas, future maths lessons and problems will feel less like a chore and more of an opportunity to have some fun and grow as a person!

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How to make maths fun for kids

Making maths fun is easier said than done, but, fortunately, there are plenty of options to bring joy and excitement to maths!

Incorporating interactive maths games and real-world problems can spark curiosity, turning abstract concepts into tangible challenges. 

By blending creativity with foundational skills, both educators and parents can transform the subject into a fun, exciting adventure.

1. Incorporate games into learning

Many games require basic maths skills, so if you’re working with basic arithmetic, pull out some of those game night staples and start learning!  

  • Board games: Games like Monopoly are great options for incorporating maths into your learning. Between making change for purchases and counting the number of spaces between properties, you’ll be handling addition and subtraction constantly. Other games involve maths when determining scores, moving tokens and reading dice. There are even dedicated maths board games that explore different mathematical topics!

  • Card games: Just like with board games, scoring in card games like Rummikub can involve some complicated maths. 

  • Classic number games: Plenty of classic games incorporate maths, too, such as Sudoku. You can even find online versions of Sudoku that make filling out the puzzles much easier without needing a rubber!

2. Use technology to make things more interactive

Remember, you’re not on your own with the formidable task of making maths fun! There are numerous digital resources available to help make practicing key skills exciting and highly interactive.  

  • Use DoodleMathsAvailable on phones, tablets, laptops and desktops, DoodleMaths is filled with interactive questions and games covering the whole curriculum! Powered by an award-winning algorithm, it sets work at just the right level for each child, boosting their confidence and letting them work independently. Create an account to try it for free today!
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  • Interactive videos: YouTube Kids hosts videos that explore topics or ask viewers to pause and complete problems before revealing the answer later on. If you’re not sure where to start, be sure to check out our YouTube channel, which is filled with fun, visual topic guides!

3. Go hands-on when you can

One of the best ways to make maths engaging is to see the real-world application of those skills firsthand. Take the maths you’re learning and use it to make life a little easier! 

  • Use manipulatives: Take the abstraction out of maths with some physical objects. For simple arithmetic, use Cheerios or sweets to help visualise problems. For geometry, building blocks or specially produced figures can help you understand how shapes can be rearranged into new shapes. 

  • Get crafting: With origami and other handicrafts, you’ll need a good understanding of fractions as you shape paper and fabric into creations of your own.

  • Exercise: If you’re more athletically-minded (or just really energetic!), maths can be a great way to explore sports and exercise. Division is helpful for figuring out your pace while running, and you can use multiplication to figure out your heart’s beats per minute. You could even invent your own sport with odd scoring mechanics and point values to help practise those math skills!

Other ways to make maths fun

Along with activities that make maths fun, a fresh mindset is also invaluable. If you can go from thinking about mathematics as a chore to something worthwhile and meaningful for you personally, you’ll find the subject fun and rewarding in no time!

1. Emphasise progress over perfection

Learning is a life-long journey, and there will always be new challenges to overcome. That means that you’ll always end up making mistakes or getting confused… But instead of getting frustrated at new topics, reflect on how much you’ve learned. 

Remember, you were likely once confused by the topics you now consider second nature, and you’ll master these new topics as well!

2. Relate maths to the real world

Schools have good reason for teaching so much maths; if you look around, you’ll quickly see how much maths goes into things you interact with on a daily basis. 

It plays into measuring ingredients for a recipe, budgeting out your pocket money and figuring out how many minutes you have left before bedtime. Take every chance you get to apply maths to your daily routine, and you’ll soon find how easy the subject comes!

You should also look to the future. Maths is a major component of many careers, from engineering to personal training. Knowing that the maths you’re learning today will help you accomplish your career goals will make those lessons more meaningful and enjoyable. Check out our real world maths guide for even more relatable mathematics!

3. Celebrate achievement and accomplishments

Take time to celebrate your hard work and effort. This can be something as simple as chomping down on those M&Ms you were using to learn addition or taking a break after getting a few questions correct!

Learn to associate your maths journey with the pleasant feelings you get from these celebrations and rewards. 

FAQs about making maths fun for kids

It’s really important to associate maths with positive feelings, as this connection will improve retention, inspire curiosity and make future maths lessons much more enjoyable! 

Use a combination of incentives, games and real-life applications to make maths more fun to learn. Reward your child’s (or your own!) hard work, check out games like DoodleMaths and point out how maths can be used in daily activities. 

Maths puzzles like Sudoku are a great way to practice addition. You can also apply math questions to other games, such as Jeopardy or a Monopoly. You can also try DoodleMaths, the award-winning maths app, for free!

Make an effort to notice and call out moments where you use maths in daily activities. You can also look at future jobs and research how mathematics factors into those careers. 

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Parents, sign up for a DoodleMaths subscription and see your child become a maths wizard!

Lesson credits

Taylor Hartley

Taylor Hartley

Taylor Hartley is an author and an English teacher. When she's not writing, you can find her on the rowing machine or lost in a good novel.

jill padfield

Jill Padfield

Jill Padfield has 7 years of experience teaching mathematics. She is currently working as a Business Analyst, working to improve services for Veterans while earning a masters degree in business administration.

Taylor Hartley

Taylor Hartley

Taylor Hartley is an author and an English teacher. When she's not writing, you can find her on the rowing machine or lost in a good novel.

jill padfield

Jill Padfield

Jill Padfield has 7 years of experience teaching mathematics. She is currently working as a Business Analyst, working to improve services for Veterans while earning a masters degree in business administration.

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