Fun Activities That Teach Math To Middle School Kids
Do you think Maths in school is just about numbers and figures? Do you think maths start and end in books and copies? Do your students feel bored in math class? Do you want to implement experiential, interactive learning in your math class but do not know how to? Whether you are a teacher who wants to incorporate fun activities in your math class or a student who runs away from math, this blog has everything needed to make math fun.
There are misconceptions that math cannot be fun. Students run away from math because they often relate it to too long practice hours. No student would want to spend hours and hours solving difficult sums. Students of today’s schools are searching for fun ways to learn math. Fun activities around math make sense when you understand that any subject, especially math, involves the brain and the senses. One needs to practice math regularly. However, if students are not engaged by the concepts of math and find math interesting, they will not retain any mathematical knowledge. Students often find other subjects fun because other subjects are more theoretical and easy to read. Math requires logic and deduction.
The Stimulation Process
As a teacher, too, you need to stimulate the student’s minds so that they use their logical skills and sharpen them. This stimulation is provided through interesting activities and games that engage students at multiple levels. Fun math games are extremely necessary for school going kids. Children’s interest in math needs to develop from an early age. Kids generate an interest in something when it is fun. Math is actually fun if a teacher teaches it through activities. Moreover, when students participate in classroom activities, they take action. The students learn math in a better way when they act and are involved.
When we realize that math is all around us, we easily plan out activities for the kids. Numbers and mathematical concepts exist in our daily lives. One can easily understand these concepts if he or she is keen on attention. Teachers can easily plan out activities that will keep the mind of a student engaged and stimulated. In this article, we will talk about the simple, fun activities teachers can organize in math class. The article will also talk about the benefits that students can draw from such activities.
If you are looking for a list of easy classroom activities to increase student engagement in math class, read on for more inspiration to take to an activity-based classroom.
Math Game Apps
There is a preconceived notion that games are bad for children. However, the truth is that study should be balanced with play, and when play is properly implemented, it can support better study practice. Children gain many important skills from playing games. Their mind engages in games, and a stimulated mind grows in abilities. While there are some games that do not benefit children, specially designed educational games teach children as they play. The key to teaching children is to not make it apparent that you are teaching them. Games, especially math games, achieve this objective. There are many math gaming apps like Sudoku, puzzles, and match-three games that help students learn math. You just need to find the right math game for your students.
Math Board Games- While math gaming apps are convenient and useful, these are restricted in mobile phones. The problem with gaming apps is that if you are exposing a child to a gaming app, it might increase their screen time. This can also lead to screen addiction for young children. As an alternative to math gaming apps, teachers also prefer math board games. Board games are easy to carry and use. Math board games are easy to use in classrooms and also engage multiple students at the same time. There are many old and new board games that you can introduce in your math class. Board games like math dice are great for multiple players.
Use playing cards, dice and paper
Sometimes you do not need an organized, packaged game of math for that fun element. Sometimes, you can make math interesting with what is in front of you. You can make your own math game out of simple paper, pen, dice and playing cards. All the materials are easily available around us. Playing cards and dice are gaming elements that have mathematical principles behind them. Using these, you can make a game of your own rules. This may take time, but once you have created the game and students like the game, we guarantee you won’t regret it. The idea is to create a game that you can easily monitor. When you create a game on your own, you are in full control of the concepts that the game teaches. Thus, creating a game with simple things is a great option.
Online computer math games
Apart from mobile games, online computer games are also great to consider in a classroom. Your school must have a computer lab. Your students can go to the lab and play various online math games. With online games, children have the benefit that they can play against the computer. Thus a single student can play the games and learn through the computer. This way, you not only help them learn mathematical skills but also computer skills.
Physical games
All the above games are played either in a classroom or on screens. While you may believe that math is more about brains and not brawn, it is possible to play physical games that revolve around a mathematical idea. An amazing math race or relay math race achieves many objectives in one move. For example, it promotes teamwork among your students. It also keeps your students physically active and fit. The games also keep their mind racing and math interesting. Physical games are great to break the pattern of regular classroom teaching.
Conclusion
The above ideas are some of the most effective activity ideas that you can take beyond the math classroom. Try implementing these ideas in your own way today and see the difference they make in your teaching style.
Sid
Sid writes educational content periodically for Wizert and backs it up with extensive research and relevant examples. He's an avid reader and a tech enthusiast at the same time with a little bit of “Arsenal Football Club” thrown in as well. He's got more than 5 years of experience in technical content framing, digital marketing, SEO and graphic designing.
