Chances of losing interest in the math class are higher among students. It might not sound polite to the math teacher, but they also know half of the students don’t seem engaged during a mathematics class. It’s one of those fundamental subjects that nobody can skip in their academic years. Its skills are an unquestionable indicator of a student’s future academic success and solving other numeracy problems. And it takes a lot of practice to excel in mathematical concepts and theories. Other than boring math classes, there are many fun and easy activities that parents or educators can engage their kids in to sharpen their numerical or mathematical skills. Method of teaching makes a big difference, and the Maths puzzles are a fun and educational activity for schools. Puzzles complement the kids’ growth, learning, and development and are significantly approved by the educators and parents in promoting new skills in kids. Students were more attentive, engaged, and productive during puzzle class. In other words, it will not be wrong to say that Math puzzles are an educational alternative for kids and help them learn long-term intellectual and other essential skills.
Solving puzzles is more than a hobby or a fun time activity. In this blog post, we have mentioned a few math puzzles for kids that their teachers or parents should let them play to boost their learning, develop an interest in mathematics, and grow them into logical thinkers.
It’s one of the critical thinking math problems that teachers or parents can play with children by using their blocks to give their minds a break from traditional teaching methods. All they have to do is make a triangle using ten blocks and ask the kid to change the direction of the triangle by reversing one block at a time. Set some rules, a kid can only try once, and the one who will figure it out will get a reward.
Such puzzles are to engage the students or make them learn seven geometric shapes at once. Tangram puzzles are the best math puzzle so far. These puzzles have a history but are now used by mathematics or art teachers to educate kids about shapes or color through a fun activity.
The teacher uses it as a sample math puzzle to tell the students that they’ll solve such fun math puzzles during the whole session. Teachers will draw shapes, most probably a star or pentagon with triangles in them, and ask the kids to count the number of triangles in them.
Crosswords puzzles are primarily used to improve the students’ vocabulary but change it into a number puzzle this time. Teachers should take a crossword and design its horizontal and vertical strips so that students have to subtract, add, multiply, divide or round off numbers to get the correct answer. It will be a big critical thinking math problem for students who will be eager to learn the concepts of basic calculation to solve their math crossword puzzles. Every time a student will ask ‘how’ while filling a strip, they will learn.
One of the brainstorming number puzzles for kids is the ‘numbers in a triangle.’ Teachers should give each student a sheet of paper with a triangle and some circles drawn on its three sides. Now ask the students to write any numbers from 1 – 9, and when it’s summed up, each side of the triangle has the same sum. Give hints only if they get tired of solving it.
The magic square is a math puzzle for middle school kids, as it helps the students practice the addition of numbers. It comes in many sizes, and educators should bring magic squares from miniature versions to bigger ones in the classroom. Before starting from the three-by-three grid, teachers should teach the students that the whole block gives the same answer, even if they sum the words horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Teachers can change the size of the magic square time by time to turn their students into a tactical learn.
Teachers have to bring some jars and pencils to make this fun activity a part of mathematics class. And strictly instruct the students to raise their hands if they get the solution without sharing it with their fellows. And then the teacher will tell the class, ‘I have some jars and pencils, if I put 5 pencils into each jar I will be left with one jar and if I will put 4 pencils into each jar, I will be left with one pencil only. So how many jars and pencils do the teachers have?’
Once the students answer, a teacher should practically do it before the whole class to clear the confused minds.
Who doesn’t know the story of Ali Baba? If kids don’t know, skip the boring math lecture and tell them this story. And after finishing a story, let the student solve Ali Baba’s query. This way, students will practice their lessons, and it will turn out a healthy brainstorming activity for them. Ask the students that Ali Baba can only take one 100kgs bag filled with diamonds and gold outside the cave, and the cave has 250kgs diamonds and 90kgs gold bags. And the market value of gold and diamonds is 40$ and 60$ per kg, respectively. So how does Ali Baba fill his bag, and how much can he earn through it?
It’s a fun puzzle for math class to think analytically and find multiple ways to solve a particular problem. It might seem simple to the students, but it will surely blow their minds as in Turn your Fish, students have to change the direction of the fish by moving three sticks only. Matchsticks are best to use for this puzzle game.
Riddles are challenging and super fun to ask during math class to wake the sleepyheads up. Math riddles challenge the problem-solving and decision-making skills of students along with practicing calculations. For example: how many sides a circle has? Or help me find my best friend, he is an odd number but becomes even when you take away its one alphabet, who is my best friend?
Such math puzzles and activities develop fine motor skills in any age group of students, while solving, doing or undoing a puzzle student’s logical reasoning, problem-solving, self-control, practical and analytical skills develops and improves. Furthermore, kids learn to relate mathematical equations with the actual world, improving their visual memory. You can find a variety of fun and challenging math puzzles online too. Don’t forget to organize a puzzle activity with your family members during weekends as it will strengthen the family relationships and let you learn and make new memories.
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