Maths for children who say they hate maths
Use interests, games and real life to make maths feel useful and surprising.
Quick answer
Maths isn’t something you hate – it’s all around you, in games, sports, cooking, and everyday life. The trick is to see it as a fun puzzle or tool, not a boring subject.Learning outcome
By the end of this page, you will understand how maths is part of your daily life and how you can use it to solve fun problems and make decisions.Why this matters
Maths helps you understand the world around you. It’s useful in cooking, shopping, playing games, and even planning your day. When you see maths as helpful and exciting, not scary or boring, it starts to make more sense and become more enjoyable.How it works
Maths is about patterns, counting, shapes, and solving problems. You already use maths every day without even realising it. It’s like a superpower that helps you understand how things work. Whether you're sharing snacks, planning a birthday party, or building with blocks, you're using maths!Examples you can see
Let’s look at some real-life maths you might see: Example 1: Sharing pizza You have 12 pizza slices and 4 friends. How many slices does each friend get? You can solve this by dividing: 12 ÷ 4 = 3. Each friend gets 3 slices. Example 2: Time and speed You walk to school in 10 minutes. If you walk twice as fast, how long will it take? You can think of it like this: If you walk twice as fast, it will take half the time. So 10 ÷ 2 = 5 minutes. Example 3: Building with blocks You want to build a tower with 6 rows of blocks. Each row has 5 blocks. How many blocks do you need? You can add 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 30 blocks, or multiply: 6 × 5 = 30 blocks.Try it as a mini adventure
Adventure: The Maths Detective You are a detective solving a mystery in your home. Every room has a maths clue: 1st time: In the kitchen, you find 3 boxes of 8 eggs each. How many eggs are there in total? 2nd time: In the living room, you see 24 toy cars arranged in 4 rows. How many cars are in each row? 3rd time: In the garden, you see 5 flower pots with 6 flowers in each. How many flowers are there altogether? 4th time: In your bedroom, you count 7 books on each shelf and 4 shelves. How many books are there? 5th time: You find 10 pieces of candy and want to share them equally with 2 friends. How many pieces does each person get? Can you solve all the clues? You can write or draw your answers to each step.Common mistakes
Mistake 1: Thinking maths is only about numbers and boring sums. Why it happens: Many people think maths is only in school, not in the real world. Fix: Look around you – maths is everywhere! Mistake 2: Believing you must always get the right answer. Why it happens: School can feel like a test, not a chance to explore. Fix: Maths is about trying, making mistakes, and learning from them. Mistake 3: Thinking maths is only for smart people. Why it happens: Some kids think they're not good at it. Fix: Everyone can learn maths – it’s a skill you can grow!Parent and carer guide
Parents and carers can help by:- Pointing out maths in everyday life – like when cooking, shopping, or playing games.
- Encouraging children to solve problems in fun ways – not just with paper and pencil.
- Making maths a game or story – like “How many cookies do we need if we have 5 friends and each wants 2?”
- Letting children make mistakes – they’re part of learning!
- Using real-life objects like toys, food, or blocks to show how maths works.
Practice questions
- There are 8 apples in each bag. If you have 4 bags, how many apples are there in total? Answer: 8 × 4 = 32 apples
- You have 15 stickers and want to share them equally among 3 friends. How many stickers does each friend get? Answer: 15 ÷ 3 = 5 stickers
- Each pizza has 6 slices. If you eat 2 pizzas, how many slices do you eat? Answer: 6 × 2 = 12 slices
- You have 20 marbles and put them into 5 bags. How many marbles are in each bag? Answer: 20 ÷ 5 = 4 marbles
- There are 4 rows of chairs with 7 chairs in each row. How many chairs are there? Answer: 4 × 7 = 28 chairs
FAQ
Why do I need to learn maths if I don’t like it?
Maths helps you understand the world, solve problems, and make decisions. It’s used in games, cooking, shopping, and even in your hobbies!
Can I use maths in games?
Yes! In games like football, you count goals and points. In Minecraft, you build with blocks and measure space. In Pokémon, you track stats and levels. Maths is everywhere in games!
How can I make maths more fun?
Try solving puzzles, playing with blocks, cooking, or using maths to plan a party. You can also make up stories where maths is part of the adventure!
What if I still don’t get it?
That’s okay! Everyone learns at their own pace. Ask for help, use objects to practice, or try a different way to think about the problem. Maths is about exploring, not just getting the right answer.
Is maths only about numbers?
No! Maths includes shapes, patterns, time, money, and even logic. It helps you think clearly and solve problems in many ways.