Maths

Maths does not have to be difficult. In a classroom environment, there has to be a certain amount of structure, rote learning and workbooks, even in the best of schools. However home education enables children to learn mathematical concepts more naturally.

Even if you don’t think you understand any maths, you’d be surprised what you use in everyday life: weighing ingredients, dividing cakes into portions, estimating sizes, counting money, and so on. Browse the pages below for ideas about introducing various mathematical topics in an informal way to your home educated children or teens. Most of the pages have further reading and related web-sites.

Maths for toddlers – how to give general mathematical concepts to your pre-school age child

Number bonds – beginning addition and subtraction; how number bonds work

Place value – informally introducing the vital concept of place value

Basic addition – how to add two (and more) digit numbers, learning to carry

Simple subtraction – how to do basic subtraction, including regrouping

Maths games – various basic games to encourage skills in addition and other mental maths

Beginning multiplication – how to introduce multiplication as a basic concept

Multiplication tricks – seeing patterns and understanding multiplication of some numbers

Multiplying large numbers – the beginnings of long multiplication made easy

Basic division – how to introduce the concept of dividing (or sharing) to young children

Long division – more complex division, with brief demonstration of the process

Simple geometrical shapes – introduction of triangles, squares, etc

Geometric solids – basic introduction to the five Platonic solids

Understanding angles – what are degrees? What do they mean?

What are fractions? – use concrete examples to introduce this concept to young children

Writing fractions – how fractional notation works at a basic level

Probability and chance – introduction to the concepts of probability, with examples

Beginning algebra – how to introduce pre-algebra with concrete examples

Introducing averages – about mean, mode and median averages

Number bases (introduction) – understanding the basic concepts of number bases

Binary system – introduction to base two, how to convert to and from base ten

Prime numbers and factors – Primes, factors and the Sieve of Eratosthenes

Multiplying on fingers – the six- to nine-times table on your fingers!

Simultaneous equations – How to solve simple two-value equations with a concrete example

Resources for primary maths – suggestions for maths for children under 10

LOGO and maths for the secondary years – maths ideas for teenagers

Maths and the home educated teen – maths, in general, for teenagers at home