Making Fractions Easy for Kids

In solving math problems, practice is the most important skill to acquire. Routine memorization won’t help your students develop thinking skills. Try using the following methods to make learning fractions easy and fun for your students:

1. One way to make math easy for kids is to look at it from their point of view. For example, the kitchen is a favorite part of children so use this to teach fractions. Show them various recipes, and be sure to include at least one that requires ratios (i.e., one part of ingredient A to three parts of ingredient B). Then, you can have your child convert the ratios to fractions.

2. Measuring spoons and cups are also excellent tools. Give a wide variety of measuring utensils to your child and allow them to explore with dry and wet ingredients. This will teach him how to add and subtract fractions.

3. The garage or basement can also be used as a classroom. Woodwork, such as a bird house project, also requires close attention to parts of the whole. Be sure to point out at the end of a project how fractions were used.

4. Simple activities can be equally effective especially if you don’t have time. For example, give the child a problem to work out with his pet dog. If his pet weighs 20 pounds and should be fed 1/4 cup of food for every 5 pounds of its body weight, let the child figure out how much pet food would needed. Another simple activity would be setting the table. Ask him to figure out how many plates can a table occupy. These are simple fraction practices that can be easily incorporated during busy times.

5. Don’t overlook opportunities you may have for practicing with fractions. For example, practice with fractions on a travel game. Have students write down how many cars pass, and how many of those cars are of a specific color. You, or another passenger, select another color. After a set time limit, figure out who had the most, but answers must be given in the form of a fraction.

6. Play Math Games! Math Games like Equivalent Fractions Bingo and card games give students a chance to explore the concepts in a competive but relaxed environment.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to introduce fractions to children. It simply requires a little of your time and creativity. Most importantly, remember that if children can relate fractions to their everyday life, it makes sense why practice is important.