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Even if your child is very motivated to achieve in school, the summer holidays offer a lot of distractions that could see that motivation start to slip. And, while some summer fun is good to recharge their batteries, it shouldn’t hinder their learning. So, to ensure that your child starts the new school year fighting fit, so to speak, it is important that you add maths into the holiday fun with some maths brain teasers or maths puzzles games.
The A+ Students online store is completely packed with great math puzzles brain teasers and maths puzzles games. And, more than a few of these educational toys might come in handy during the summer holiday. But, if you’re in a bind, here are a couple of games that you could play with your kids, just to keep their brains in gear:
Great Games and Maths Puzzles for Kids
- Go Fish with a Maths Twist
All you need for this is an ordinary pack of cards. Take out the Jacks, Kings, and Queens so you only have Ace to ten. The goal is to create pairs that add up to ten.
Deal each player 5 cards and then put the remainder of the cards on the table (you can call the pack of cards the ‘pond’). If the players can already start creating pairs, they should do so and set those cards aside, then replenish their cards from the pack. As soon as it becomes impossible to create pairs out of their hands, the players should ask other players for the cards they need. So, if you have a three and no seven, you could ask another player if he or she has any sevens. If not, you’ll have to go fish in the pond for a new card. The player with the most pairs at the end of the game wins.
Card games like these make great maths games for kids. They’re fun and they encourage basic maths skills. But, if it’s maths brain teasers you’re after, here are a couple you could use:
- Math Puzzles Brain Teasers
If your child is getting bored in the car during a road trip, try having them ponder on these:
Q: How does 9 + 4 = 1?
A: Think of it in terms of time. 5 o’clock plus four hours is 1 o’clock.
Q: The sum of a father and his son’s age is 55. But, the son’s age is his father’s age reversed. What are their ages?
A: There are three possibilities here: either 50 and 05, 41 and 14, or 32 + 23 (though this last one seems unlikely, biologically speaking).
Q: Is it possible to add eight 4’s to get 500?
A: Yes! 444 + 44 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 500.
So, whether it’s maths puzzles for kids, card games, or brain teasers, there is plenty of choice when it comes to keeping your child’s maths skills sharp this summer break. And, since they’re so much fun, they’ll get to recharge their batteries and learn all at the same time.
Image credit: http://www.todaysparent.com/family/activities/10-kid-friendly-card-games/
