"I'm just not a maths person." How many times have you heard this—or said it yourself? This belief, while common, is largely a myth. Research in mathematical cognition shows that with the right approach, nearly all children can develop strong numeracy skills. The problem isn't children's brains; it's how we've traditionally taught mathematics. When maths is presented as dry, abstract procedures disconnected from real-world meaning, many children understandably tune out. But when mathematical thinking is embedded in engaging activities and games, the same children often thrive.
Understanding Math Anxiety
Before diving into solutions, it's worth understanding the problem. Math anxiety is real and remarkably prevalent. Studies suggest that up to a third of students experience significant mathematical anxiety, which actually impairs their working memory and makes maths harder—creating a vicious cycle.
Math anxiety often begins with early negative experiences: timed tests that created panic, public humiliation when answers were wrong, or absorbing parents' or teachers' own mathematical discomfort. Breaking this cycle requires reframing mathematics as exploratory and creative rather than a performance to be judged.
Be careful not to pass on math anxiety. Avoid saying things like "I was never good at maths either" or "Maths is just hard." Instead, model a growth mindset: "Maths can be challenging, but it gets easier with practice. Let's figure this out together."
Everyday Mathematics
Mathematics surrounds us, but children often don't see these connections. Making mathematical thinking visible in everyday life builds understanding that maths is useful, not just a school subject.
In the Kitchen
Cooking is applied mathematics. Measuring ingredients involves fractions and ratios. Doubling or halving recipes requires multiplication and division. Timing multiple dishes to finish together demands planning and addition. Involve children in meal preparation and make the maths explicit: "The recipe serves four and we have six people. How should we adjust the ingredients?"
Shopping and Money
Real transactions make maths meaningful. Let children pay for small purchases and calculate change. Compare unit prices: "This box costs more but has more biscuits. Which is actually cheaper?" Discuss sales and percentages: "If it's 30% off, how much will we save?"
Building and Making
Construction projects are geometry and measurement in action. Whether it's a sandcastle, a LEGO creation, or helping with a home improvement project, these activities develop spatial reasoning and practical measurement skills. Let children use rulers and tape measures. Discuss shapes, angles, and proportions.
- Talk through your own mathematical thinking out loud
- Ask children to estimate before calculating exactly
- Celebrate different approaches to the same problem
- Connect abstract numbers to concrete quantities
- Make mistakes yourself and model how to learn from them
Games That Build Mathematical Thinking
Games are powerful mathematical teachers because they're engaging, provide natural practice, and remove the high-stakes anxiety of formal testing. The best maths games feel like play rather than work.
Card Games
A simple deck of cards enables countless mathematical games. War variations can teach comparison, addition, or multiplication. Making 10 or making 21 games build mental arithmetic. Card games also develop strategic thinking as children predict probabilities and make decisions based on incomplete information.
Dice Games
Dice add randomness that keeps games exciting while providing arithmetic practice. Games like Shut the Box, Yahtzee, and countless variations develop mental calculation, probability understanding, and strategic decision-making. Using different types of dice—four-sided, ten-sided, twelve-sided—expands the mathematical range.
Board Games
Many commercial board games have strong mathematical content. Monopoly teaches money management (though games often run too long). Ticket to Ride involves route planning and resource management. Set develops pattern recognition. Chess and checkers build strategic thinking and spatial reasoning.
Prime Climb: A beautiful board game where movement is determined by multiplication and division.
Math Dice: Roll dice and combine numbers using operations to reach a target number.
Kingdomino: Gentle introduction to area calculation and strategic planning.
Gravity Maze: Visual-spatial puzzle game that develops geometric reasoning.
Physical and Active Mathematics
Not all mathematical learning happens sitting at a table. Active, physical approaches engage different learning styles and help cement understanding.
Movement Games
Hopscotch has taught counting for generations. Expand the concept: create number lines children walk along, jump to solve equations, or use bodies to form shapes. Skip counting becomes memorable when you're actually skipping.
Sports and Mathematics
Sports are rich with mathematical content. Keeping score involves addition. Statistics like batting averages introduce fractions, decimals, and percentages in a context many children care deeply about. Even understanding game strategy involves mathematical reasoning about probabilities and outcomes.
Building and Construction
Physical construction—whether with blocks, LEGO, or actual building materials—develops spatial reasoning, measurement skills, and geometric understanding. Challenge children to build specific structures: "Make a tower twice as tall as this one" or "Build something with exactly 24 blocks."
Digital Tools Used Wisely
Technology can support mathematical learning when used thoughtfully. The best maths apps and games adapt to children's levels, provide immediate feedback, and make abstract concepts visible through interactive visualisations.
However, digital tools work best as supplements to, not replacements for, hands-on mathematical experiences. The physical manipulation of objects—counting blocks, sharing pizza slices, building structures—creates foundational understanding that purely screen-based learning cannot fully replicate.
When choosing maths apps or games, look for those that emphasise understanding over rote practice, allow exploration rather than just drilling, and provide meaningful feedback that helps children learn from mistakes.
Creating a Positive Mathematical Environment
Beyond specific activities, the overall attitude toward mathematics matters enormously. Here's how to create an environment where mathematical thinking flourishes:
Praise effort and strategy, not just correct answers. "You tried three different approaches before finding one that worked—that's exactly what good mathematicians do" is more valuable than "You're so smart at maths."
Normalise struggle. When children find something difficult, that's not a sign of failure—it's where learning happens. Share your own mathematical challenges and how you work through them.
Encourage multiple approaches. There's rarely only one way to solve a mathematical problem. When children explain their thinking, they deepen their understanding and often discover they know more than they realised.
Make mistakes valuable. When errors happen, treat them as interesting puzzles to explore rather than shameful failures. What went wrong? What could we try instead? This reframing transforms mathematics from a minefield into an adventure.
The goal isn't to raise mathematicians—it's to raise children who see mathematics as a powerful tool they can use, an engaging puzzle to solve, and a way of understanding the world around them. With patience, creativity, and the right approach, mathematics transforms from a dreaded subject into an exciting exploration.