Make It real-life and relevant
Tie math to things they care about: snacks (fractions), sports (scores, averages), video games (points, percentages), or shopping (money math).
Let them "run" a pretend store or restaurant to practice math in action.
Double or halve a recipe: “We need ¾ cup, but we’re doubling it—how much now?
Start a "kid bank ledger" with deposits and withdrawals.
At the grocery store, let them weigh produce and compare prices.
Use visual tools & manipulatives
Base ten blocks, number lines, fraction tiles, and Cuisenaire rods make abstract ideas click.
Visuals help students see the math before having to compute it.
Sneak in learning with math games
Digital: Prodigy, Math Playground, Reflex Math, or TTRockstars for times tables.
Offline: Card games (like “24” or War with a math twist), dice games, or math board games.
Games reduce fear and build fluency without pressure.
Focus on growth mindset
Praise effort, not just correctness (“You really stuck with that!” or “Great strategy!”).
Show that mistakes are part of learning: even mathematicians struggle sometimes.
Talk it out – math as language
Encourage your child to explain their thinking, even if they’re unsure.
Saying it out loud helps build logic and confidence.
Use “number talks” or “Which one doesn’t belong?” prompts for creative thinking.
Break concepts into mini-steps
If a child is overwhelmed, the issue might be how much is being thrown at them.
Scaffold tightly: break a problem into 2- or 3-step chunks.
Mastery of tiny building blocks adds up fast.
Find the right curriculum fit
Some kids respond better to conceptual programs (like Singapore Math, Beast Academy, or Math-U-See).
Others do better with spiral review styles like Saxon.
Get peer help or group learning
A study buddy or math group can make math feel more social and less isolating.
Sometimes kids explain things to each other in ways adults wouldn’t think of.
Manage math anxiety
Build in calm breathing or short breaks if frustration hits.
Use humor, silly math problems, or even art/math mashups to defuse pressure.
Show the big picture
Talk about how math shows up in cool careers: game design, robotics, engineering, architecture, even animation.
Help them see it’s not “just schoolwork”—it’s problem-solving power.
