Board Games to Teach Children Math

Board games can be used to teach children many skills, and they’re entertaining enough to engage kids while they’re learning. Children can learn verbal skills, creativity, cognitive thinking, and math skills from a variety of board games. Almost any game will teach these skills to some degree or another. However, if you’re looking for games that will help your children understand math and apply to their daily lives, there are five games you should consider investing in: Aggravation, Candyland, The Game of Life, Math Animals Game, and Monopoly.

On the surface, Aggravation may not seem to teach math skills beyond the average board game. However, this game, featuring marbles, requires that the values of the dice are added together, teaching addition and counting. In some cases, subtraction is also involved. Aggravation also teaches some strategic thinking, which is an important problem solving and math skill. This game appeals to all ages (and parents will love it too), so it’s a great game for the entire family.

Candlyland is generally a game for younger children. It teaches simple skills such as taking turns and basic counting. It is an excellent game to start with and can be fun for parents and children. Try enjoying this game with your young children and see how much they learn from such a simple game.

The Game of Life teaches many skills that are necessary in real life. It involves spinning a spinner, counting spaces, and dealing with money. This exciting game is good for the whole family and introduces children to concepts such as addition and subtraction, counting, and simple money management. There is even some basic multiplication involved in The Game of Life.

Math Animals Game is designed for children over the age of 5, but younger children often enjoy it as well, with a little help. This game involves rolling the die, moving around the board according to the number displayed, and landing on the highest number. All of this teaches children basic math skills such as addition, subtraction, and even multiplication.

Of all the board games involving mathematics, Monopoly is by far the best. There are few math skills that Monopoly doesn’t teach, and it’s a great game for any age, not simply for children. Younger children will learn to count and even add as they roll the dice and move around the board. Money management is the key focus of this game and helps children learn to deal with money is a straightforward and responsible way. Even multiplication is frequently introduced as players land on utilities and have to calculate rent. Problem solving is also an integral part of the game and will help children develop cognitive strategic thinking. In sort, Monopoly is a great game for teaching many mathematical skills.

There are many other games that will teach basic math skills to children. In fact, most games involve some math, even if it’s only simple counting. It is important to make board games a regular in your household to promote the development of many of the skills your children will need later in life.

Teaching Children to Save Money

In today’s world of “see it now, want it now,” it’s not always easy to teach children to save money. The influence of the media and peer pressure usually encourages children to spend any money they receive immediately. In order to get children interested in saving, you’ll have to be a vigilant parent and make a point of demonstrating the many benefits of saving. There are several methods you can use to achieve this.

Before you begin showing your children how to save money, they’ll have to understand something about how money is earned in the first place. Speaking in language appropriate to the age of your children, explain that money is a reward for time invested and energy expended. Make sure they understand that you get money in return for working. It doesn’t just appear. To reinforce the basics of money, play a money game with your children, such as Monopoly.

Offer an allowance on the condition that a portion of that allowance is saved. Perhaps purchase a piggy bank for each child and encourage them to contribute 10% of their allowance to their savings. More is good, but set a minimum amount. Have them place their money in the piggy bank themselves. If you do it for them, it’s not them saving, it’s you.

If you want to encourage your children to save, try matching their savings. If they’re younger children with only pennies and the occasional quarter, match 100% of what they save. For older children who save more, consider cutting back to 50%, or even go as low as 25%. As they see their savings grow faster than expected, children are more likely to want to save. When they’ve saved enough, take them to open a savings account.

Have your children set goals. It’s not easy to save for a mysterious ‘nothing,’ so have your children make a list of what they’re saving for. Once a list of goals has been decided upon, have them tell you what is at the top of the list. Find a picture of this thing and put it in a prominent place, such as on the fridge or above the desk where your children do homework. This will remind them of what they’re working towards and hopefully curb their urge to spend.

Younger children may have difficulty waiting with no reward. If this is the case in your home, come up with a reward system for your children. Often, this can be as simple as stickers placed on a sheet. For every quarter (or dollar) they save, add a sticker. Once a certain number of stickers have been collected, offer a small reward, such as a special dinner or an inexpensive toy. This will give younger children a sense that saving does indeed have benefits.

Give your older children control over one aspect of their own budget. Clothing is usually a benign enough category, though it will depend on your children. Let them handle the purchasing of their own school clothing, but give them a strict budget. If they’re only allowed $100 for clothing, force them to stick to that budget. If they buy a $100 pair of jeans, that’s all they get. You can’t give in when they whine about not having enough, or the lesson will be lost on them. It’s not advisable to use this technique on a truly necessary portion of the budget, such as food. You don’t want to starve your children just to make a point.

Model the behavior you’d like to see in your children. If you want them to save for a goal, show them that you’re saving for a goal. Get your own piggy bank and put your change in there while your children are watching. Explain what particular goals you’re saving for and your children will be more likely to save for their own.

Remember that with all that saving, there should be a little spending. If you have a child who just saves and saves, but never spends, you’ll want to help that child find balance. Praise your child for saving, but remind him or her of the goals on the list. If there’s enough money for the first goal, take your child out to purchase the item. Saving is good, but every child needs to opportunity to spend that money eventually. Help your child to spend, if necessary.

Teaching children to save money is not an easy task. Mistakes will be made. When your children spend instead of save, don’t get angry. Encourage them to continue saving and keep modeling the behavior you wish to see in them. Eventually, your children will learn how to save.