With November firmly in the air, the fall leaves definitely falling, the crisp chill reaching from your noes all the way down to your toes, and the holiday season peaking its head around the corner; nothing sounds more delightful than grabbing that steaming cup of apple cider, a blanket, and a good book to read peacefully inside with your child.
Reading is always an amazing year long activity to enjoy with your kid, and especially this time of year which has an increase in parents and families to start spending more time reading stories with each other. The joy with reading is it becomes so firmly integrated in your family’s lives and child’s growing up years. It’s an exceptional source of quality family time, improves your child’s literacy, allows student to further deepen the idea that learning is fun, and reading aloud is one of the best suggested things to do with your child not only to form lasting memories but also to create a well rounded, deep student.
The benefits from reading are huge but a question you’re likely thinking to yourself is about now is, “so what does this have to do with math?”
That’s a valid question, and one not surprising was raised. Often we split subjects, schools, talents, passions, everything into either the math or the writing bucket. It’s analytical or creative, science or art, so on and so forth. These two things don’t have to be mutually exclusive, in fact the secret is in pairing these together: to be simultaneously using both the right and left side of the brain together, to be an engineer and an artist, and in this case, to bring together reading and math.
By bringing math into this fabulous activity of reading out loud and with your kids, you get all the same benefits reading brings to your child and their education AND you “math” with them. This encourages kids that math is enjoyable, shows them that it’s a huge and important part of our lives, and it allows them to feel safe to think about math outside of the often scary classroom environment many kids face daily. When looking at this topic in a new environment and reframing what math can be, kids can begin believing that math indeed can make sense and it can be fun!
So this season, as you go to the library to grab stacks and stacks of books to read with kids: be sure to grab those math books as well. You’ll give your child the amazing joy that reading brings....AND have fun learning math together. It’s an amazing way to bring math into a student’s daily lives and help them realize they are good and can enjoy math! For every age, grade, and skill level reading math related books has undeniable benefits. From learning what numbers are to tackling pre-algebra to wondering “what even is zero”, click here to see a full detailed list of a book to interest every kid.
Happy reading from Mathnasium!
