Why play?

From an early age, "play" is an inherently human trait. Research shows, “During play, children’s brains are actively seeking and using skills such as negotiating, improvising, communicating, critical thinking, problem-solving, taking risks, sharing ideas, perspective-taking, creating, and learning from mistakes.” These abilities are fundamental for academic success, and math, in particular, demands solid problem-solving and critical thinking skills. A flexible and curious brain is more adept at strengthening these skills. By adopting a play-based approach to math from the start, children develop increased flexibility and stronger problem-solving abilities, preparing them for the ever-increasing complexities of math as they progress.

Let’s Play!

So, what does a play-based approach to math look like? Math often poses difficulties for children due to its abstract nature. Introducing play into math education bridges the gap between abstract concepts and concrete understanding. This approach enables children to grasp the "why" behind mathematical concepts, rather than relying solely on rote memorization. Here are some inspiring ideas for incorporating play into math education:

Math Manipulatives

An array of math manipulatives are available, from snap cubes and pattern blocks to dice and counting objects. In fact, almost anything can serve as a math manipulative, including Legos, coins, trinkets, and stickers! Think outside the box when it comes to counting, learning math facts, and simple computation skills by using manipulatives!

Board Games

Many board games offer opportunities to practice math skills in a playful manner. Monopoly, for instance, enhances money sense and computation skills, while a deck of cards or dice can be utilized for various math concepts. Additionally, numerous board games are now designed explicitly to strengthen math skills in children.

Apps

Digital apps provide another opportunity for a play-based approach to mathematics. Often, children enjoy these games so much that they don't even realize they're doing math! In a previous Peak blog post, numerous apps were highlighted that cultivate confidence in elementary math skills through play and games.

By embracing playfulness, educators and parents can unlock children's inherent curiosity, leading to a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts from an early age. Through manipulatives, food, and games, math transitions from abstract memorization to tangible, interactive learning.

Written by Laine J.

Of all of the executive functioning skills required to succeed in mathematics, working memory may be one of the most important! Working memory refers to how the brain uses, holds, processes and manipulates the information stored in our short-term memory. Working memory allows us to plan, problem solve and reason, all of which go hand-in-hand with the necessary skills to complete a math problem. Let’s dive into some tips and tricks which can help to strengthen working memory, specifically in relation to the world of math!

Play Games

There are many popular games that can be played as a family that utilize working memory. Games like Concentration, Uno, Crazy Eights and Go Fish all require the players to use their working memory system. Simon Says, Follow the Beat, Tongue Twisters, puzzles and brain teasers are other excellent examples of activities that can be used to strengthen working memory. In many of these activities, our brains must actively recall information, and in-turn manipulate it to make the next move!

Put Your Child in the Teacher Role

When working through a new math concept, once a child has begun to master the concept at hand, they should attempt to teach someone else how to do it. When the child becomes the teacher, they are switching into a more active role and thus enhancing their working memory skills. For example, if a child is working on adding fractions with a different denominator, they should be able to walk someone else through each step necessary to solve this kind of problem and explain the “why” behind it.

Practice Every Day

For things like math facts (simple and quick math problems across the four operations), practicing every day can help to reduce the strain on working memory capacity. The more automatic these quick facts become, the more space is freed up in the brain to utilize other math skills and solve larger and more complex mathematical equations and word problems.

Visualize

When working on word problems, it is best to come up with various visualization strategies that can be used to solve each problem. Examples of visualization strategies in math might be drawing an array, making pictures or using math manipulatives.

Make a Plan

A great general rule of thumb for math problems (especially those tricky word problems) is to NEVER leave math in your head. This means write down as much as possible. Circle, underline or highlight the key words in a math problem and then make a plan to solve. Write out each step as a number sentence, and use the visualization tools mentioned above to help solve the problem.

Practice Yoga & Mindfulness

Research has shown activities like yoga and mindfulness can improve working memory. Both of these practices aim to draw our attention to how and when our mind wanders, which in turn can help increase focus and the working memory function of the brain. There are many wonderful YouTube channels for kids yoga, such as Cosmic Yoga that can be completed daily. Alternately, try simple breathing exercises in the car on the way to school as a way to practice mindfulness each day.

Use Mnemonics and Songs

Making a mnemonic device or turning something that needs to be memorized into a song are two more fantastic ways to strengthen working memory. The most famous mnemonics device in Math is PEMDAS with “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally” as the words to remember the order of operations. There are also fun and silly songs on YouTube to help learn and memorize math facts. Putting information into a catchy song allows our brain to more easily store and remember it!