How to help year 2 student with maths

Here are the top 10 tips to help your student excel in maths, boosting their confidence and making learning enjoyable along the way!

headshot of author, Michelle

Author
Michelle Griczika

Published
February 2024

How to help year 2 student with maths

Here are the top 10 tips to help your student excel in maths, boosting their confidence and making learning enjoyable along the way!

headshot of author, Michelle

Author
Michelle Griczika

Published
February 2024

How to help year 2 student with maths

Here are the top 10 tips to help your student excel in maths, boosting their confidence and making learning enjoyable along the way!

headshot of author, Michelle

Author
Michelle Griczika

Published
February 2024

Key takeaways

  • Help your year 2 student thrive in maths by boosting their confidence, making it enjoyable, and fostering a positive attitude.
  • Discover ten practical ways to support your child’s maths skills through fun activities, relatable connections, and effective goal-setting.
  • Explore the pros and cons of maths apps versus tutoring to find the best approach for your child, igniting their enthusiasm for maths.

Maths is all about uncovering the secrets of numbers and exploring the fascinating world of patterns and logic. However, we understand that sometimes maths can feel like a tricky puzzle for our students to solve. 

Sometimes, our little maths enthusiasts may face challenges understanding and excelling in maths. There could be various reasons why our children might struggle with maths. It could be due to a lack of sleep, making it harder to focus and retain information. They might also need more motivation, finding it difficult to see the relevance and excitement in maths concepts.

As parents, we need to know what skills are being taught in year 2 maths and pinpoint the areas where our child struggles. This will allow us to provide targeted support and create a positive learning environment when wondering how to help with year 2 maths.

10 ways to provide year 2 maths help

Maths help for year 2 students is simpler than you think. It just takes time, patience, and a bit of creativity. Take a look at our recommendations for year 2 maths help and try them out with your child this week.

1. Boost confidence

Encourage your child by celebrating their maths achievements, no matter how small. Applaud their efforts in solving problems or understanding new concepts. Provide specific feedback and highlight their progress. Remind them that everyone learns at their own pace and that mistakes are part of the learning process.

2. Practise at home

Set aside regular time for maths practice at home. Use flashcards, maths worksheets, apps for maths help or online maths games to practise year 2 maths questions that reinforce concepts learned in the classroom. Year 2 maths help resources are easily available.

3. Create a positive attitude

Foster a positive attitude towards maths by showing enthusiasm and interest. Emphasize the real-world relevance of maths in daily life. Involve your child in activities like budgeting, measuring ingredients while cooking, or counting objects during playtime. By highlighting the practical applications of maths, you can help your child see its value and build a positive mindset.

4. Use manipulatives

Incorporate hands-on materials like counting blocks, number lines, or shape puzzles to make abstract maths concepts more concrete. Manipulatives provide a tangible way for your child to visualise and manipulate numbers, helping them understand mathematical concepts more effectively.

5. Make maths fun

Infuse maths into fun activities to make it enjoyable. Create maths-related games, puzzles, challenges, or even a maths scavenger hunt your child can participate in. Use everyday objects like toys or household items to practise counting, sorting, or measuring. By making maths a playful experience, you can spark their curiosity and engagement.

6. Relate maths to their interests

Connect maths to your child’s interests and hobbies. If they love dinosaurs, ask them to count and group toy dinosaurs or measure their lengths. Encourage them to solve maths problems related to their favorite characters or activities. Linking maths to their passions makes maths help for year 2 students more relatable and engaging.

7. Practise real-life problem solving

Encourage your child to apply maths skills to real-life situations. Involve them in tasks like calculating the total cost of items at the grocery store, measuring ingredients on taco night, or counting the number of board game pieces you have. Such activities help them see the practical application of maths in their everyday lives.

8. Encourage maths talk

Engage your child in maths conversations. Ask open-ended questions that require reasoning and explanation, such as “How did you solve that problem?” or “Why do you think that answer is correct?” Encourage them to explain their thinking process, fostering critical thinking and communication skills.

9. Set goals and track progress

Help your child set achievable maths goals and track their progress. Break down larger concepts into smaller steps and celebrate milestones along the way. Create a visual progress chart or a sticker system to reward their efforts. Recognising their achievements boosts confidence and motivates further improvement.

10. Try a maths app

The DoodleMaths app is a fantastic resource that combines learning and fun. It offers various maths activities tailored to your child’s understanding level. Rewarding effort and consistency over being correct, DoodleMaths boosts confidence and allows your child to develop skills at their own pace. Plus, the parent dashboard displays topics your child is struggling with under Analyze → Understanding. In this view, you can see how well your child currently understands the curriculum content for their year compared to their most recent baseline assessment.

Maths apps vs tutoring

You might wonder whether maths apps or tutoring is the better choice for your child. Let’s break it down!

Maths apps have some great advantages. They’re budget-friendly, super convenient, and offer interactive learning that can make maths fun for your child. Many apps personalise the learning experience to match your child’s level. But remember that these apps may lack human interaction and sometimes lead to distractions.

On the other hand, with a tutor, your child gets personalised instruction and feedback that targets their specific needs. A tutor can give them the extra support they need to excel in maths. However, it’s essential to consider that tutoring can be more expensive and requires coordinating schedules.

FAQs about year 2 maths help

We know helping a year 2 student with maths can be hard so we’ve provided a few frequently asked questions many parents have when their child needs help with maths.

There can be several reasons your child struggles with maths. It could be due to a lack of foundational understanding, difficulty with specific concepts, limited practice, or lack of confidence or motivation. Identifying the particular areas of struggle can help in providing targeted support.

There are many ways you can support your child’s maths learning. You can make maths more engaging and relatable by creating a positive attitude towards maths, practicing at home, using manipulatives, and incorporating maths into everyday activities. Additionally, utilizing math apps, providing personalised guidance, and celebrating their efforts can boost their confidence and motivation.

Hiring a tutor can be beneficial if your child needs additional personalized instruction and guidance. A tutor can provide one-on-one attention, target specific areas of difficulty, and offer customized strategies to help your child overcome maths challenges.

Familiarise yourself with the maths curriculum for year 2. You can consult your child’s teacher or refer to educational resources that outline the maths topics typically covered in year 2. Awareness of the curriculum can help you identify areas where your child may need extra support.

Absolutely! There are many online resources and maths apps explicitly designed for year 2 students. These resources offer interactive activities, practice exercises, and step-by-step guidance to support your child’s maths skills. The DoodleMaths maths practice app combines learning and fun, providing a comprehensive platform for maths practice and skill development.

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Michelle Griczika is a seasoned educator and experienced freelance writer. Her years teaching coupled with her double certification in early childhood education lend depth to her understanding of diverse learning stages. Michelle enjoys running in her free time and undertaking home projects.

Lesson credits

headshot of author, Michelle

Michelle Griczika

Michelle Griczika is a seasoned educator and experienced freelance writer. Her years teaching coupled with her double certification in early childhood education lend depth to her understanding of diverse learning stages. Michelle enjoys running in her free time and undertaking home projects.

headshot of author, Michelle

Michelle Griczika

Michelle Griczika is a seasoned educator and experienced freelance writer. Her years teaching coupled with her double certification in early childhood education lend depth to her understanding of diverse learning stages. Michelle enjoys running in her free time and undertaking home projects.

headshot of author, Michelle

MIchelle Griczika

Michelle Griczika is a seasoned educator and experienced freelance writer. Her years teaching first and fifth grades coupled with her double certification in elementary and early childhood education lend depth to her understanding of diverse learning stages. Michelle enjoys running in her free time and undertaking home projects.

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