Most of the kids in school dread a math test. I know many students who would rather prefer to get their cavities filled then take a math test in school. But why is that? Why do students fear this subject so much? Well, the reason is more of psychological then academic. Kids love to study when they are having fun. They also like to study subjects which come easy to them and in most schools; math is the subject that doesn’t come in any of these two categories.

Therefore, it is very important to make math fun for the students. Doesn’t matter if you are a parent or a teacher, it is very important to hold the child’s attention and make him have fun with it. This is where math puzzles are a great help.

Math puzzles don’t only make learning and teaching math interesting, but it also motivates children to do better in other subjects as well. Most children who would rather play a computer game then go to a math class, so why not mix these two together?

You can provide the child with various maths puzzles which he can play and practice the fields he is weak at. Math puzzles don’t teach students anything new, but they help strengthen their basic concepts and build a solid foundation for their future classes. These puzzles help teachers to teach the weaker students in class. For example, if some students in a class are not clear with some basic concepts of math like subtraction or addition, then in order to make the catch up with the rest of the class the teacher will need to give them more attention. But this will make the rest of the class. But if the teacher provides the weaker students with some quick learning math puzzles, they can learn without wasting class’ time.

Math puzzles also instill the urge to study and learn independently. Instead of being dependent on somebody else’s attention to study, math puzzles give the students freedom to work on their own. This aspect of such puzzles also helps kids who are shy or feel embarrassed to discuss their weaknesses in public.

But don’t think that math puzzles are only for weak students. You can also use math puzzles for students who are good at it. These puzzles work as a great practice tool and also a confidence booster. While shopping for math puzzles, you should first decide on which type of puzzle you would like to provide the child with. There is a wide range of math puzzles like arcade style, puzzle style and normal question answer style games.

You can also buy games which include favorite cartoon or movie characters of the child. Make sure that the puzzles hold some element of interest for the child as he will only practice it if he feels attracted towards it.

But never take these games as a substitute for a teacher or parental guidance in teaching math. Math puzzles only help students to brush up the skills they are already taught. The puzzles don’t teach students any new skills. So make sure that you are there for your child or student on his quest for learning math.

By: Derek De Bres