If your child is struggling to learn math, maybe it’s time to think outside the classroom and try taking math outside. Our Guest Geek post today goes over seven fun ideas for incorporating math into games and outdoor activities.

It’s often quite difficult for children to concentrate on their lessons at school, especially when it comes to learning mathematics. Many kids do not like this subject and the atmosphere in the classroom exacerbates the learning process. But if you take the math outdoors and turn it into a game, children will be more interested!

7 Great Ways to Learn Math Outdoors

Experienced educators advise presenting math in a playful way (for example, as the ESM learning system suggests) so that children do not perceive it as a mandatory lesson in the classroom. Let’s take a look at seven exciting games that kids will love to make learning math interesting and effective.

Frisbee

This is an interesting flying saucer game and you can use it to teach math. Draw numbers around the plate (for example, from 1 to 10). Have your child catch the plate and say which numbers their fingers hit. Come up with a problem, such as adding these numbers together. This exercise is very useful for small children who are just learning the basics of addition, multiplication and division.

Egg race

You can try this game if there are several children in the playground. The point is to give them 10 plastic eggs and a spoon. Each child must put one egg on a spoon and carefully carry it to the finish line and put it in the basket, then return to the start and take a new egg. If the child dropped the egg, then he goes to the start.

Such a fun game helps with the subtraction technique. When the children arrive at the finish line, they must say how many eggs are in the basket by subtracting 10 from the main number.

Water ball

Fill balloons with water and draw numbers on each balloon. Equations can be written on paper. Have the child solve the equation and then burst the balloon with the correct number. This is a great summertime activity because kids love to play in the yard with water.

Signals

This game is created for young children who are just starting to learn mathematics. It’s not a game, it’s the ability to feel, so you can do it on the way to the park or when walking in the city. It’s very enjoyable because it’s easy to play on the road or on the street. While walking hand-in-hand with your child, tap their palm and have them count how many times you tapped.

Fly

To explain the game, we need a drawn 3 by 3 square. In the center of the square, you need to put a dot, it will be a “trained fly”. You give the fly commands “up”, “down”, “right”, “left”, it executes them. After you have explained the rules, you need to ask the child to imagine a field and a fly on it. Now you will order her how many cells and in which direction to move. The child must imagine these movements. If the fly went out of the field, he should clap – this means that he caught it and this is his victory. It is very exciting and funny for children from 6-14 years old.

Tic-tac-toe 5 by 5

The playing field is a square 5 by 5 cells. Two are playing. The first puts a cross in any cell, the second puts a zero. The winner is the one who puts three in a row horizontally, vertically or diagonally. This game is great for the street because you can draw with chalk on the pavement.

Black box

You are imagining some function. For example, x+6. The child tells you a number, for example 5. You substitute his number into your function: 5+6=11, and tell him the answer is 11. Then the child says another number. For example, 9, you answer him what you did. In our case, it will be 9+6=15. The child must guess what you are doing with his number, that is, understand what function you have guessed. Try this game if you want to develop logical thinking and make your child understand equations.

Mathematics is not just numbers written in chalk on a blackboard, it surrounds us everywhere. Even in snowflakes or butterfly wings, symmetrical proportions can be found. Unfortunately, the teaching of this discipline at school is sometimes so boring that children have difficulty learning and understanding mathematics. This can lead to constant stress, poor self-esteem, and even psychological trauma. The key to solving the problem will be the formation of interest in mathematics through making learning fun. Do it outside of school so the kids don’t feel closed off. Keep studying math together and you will notice the results.