Lemonade stands are a fun summer activity for kids but they also teach valuable math skills including money handling skills and the ability to count change. Kids won't even notice that they are participating in a math learning game with all the fun they will have selling lemonade. Parents should encourage kids to set their own prices and count out the change themselves. When the lemonade stand has closed for the day, parents can ask kids to count out how much money they earned and subtract any money they started with to use as change.
Kids enjoy having the opportunity to use the computer to play educational games. Online math games are a great way to brush up on basic math skills that kids may be struggling with at school. Online math games give kids immediate feedback on their answers and help kids understand the method behind basic math skills.
Wooden unit blocks are classic toys that can be used by kids of all ages. Elementary school aged kids can use unit blocks to build structures as a cooperative group. Using unit blocks will help kids understand basic principals of fractions, geometry, and balance (see reference 1). Block play is a great way to encourage math education in a fun and open-ended play environment.
Kids love helping out in the kitchen to make their favorite meal or dessert. Following a recipe requires quite a bit of math and can help kids understand the basics of fractions in a very hands-on way. Parents can require more advanced math for older kids by asking kids to double or half the recipe that they are following. Kids will enjoy learning math while they cook and will love having an edible end result.