A dyscalculic child doesn’t fully grasp what a number is, let alone what it means. Extremely disabling day-to-day, this learning disorder is treated by a speech therapist, who works to ease the symptoms through rehabilitation of reasoning and maths skills. Beyond adjustments at school, you can play with numbers at home, through fun activities. Here are a few examples.
Idea #1: Go on a “number hunt”
At home, in their bedroom, or on walks outside, have fun spotting all the numbers you can find – on the clock, the phone, the remote control, but also on number plates, road signs, street signs… A small twist: you can also ask your dyscalculic child to find one specific number.
Idea #2: Compare small piles
Make small piles of identical objects, such as leaves, stones, vegetables, or coins, then have them guess which pile is bigger. Why not challenge your dyscalculic child to guess how many there are! After stating your own guess, name the winner – whoever came closest to the actual number!
Idea #3: Bake some tasty cakes
Whether or not your child is dyscalculic, time spent in the kitchen is often unforgettable, dusted with flour, funny faces, and laughter. Ask them to gather the ingredients needed for the cake, after reading the recipe together. Help them discover what pieces, grams, or millilitres actually represent. And don’t forget the best part: letting them taste the mixture at every step!
Once it’s baked, don’t hesitate to challenge your child on quantities: if there are 6 of you eating the cake, can it be cut into equal shares? If so, how?
Idea #4: Turn them into a talking clock
Our daily lives are shaped by time: your dyscalculic child won’t be able to escape it! Help them get familiar with clock numbers by asking them to call you at a specific time. Don’t forget to congratulate them when they succeed and show how proud you are! A small twist: you can do this exercise with an analogue clock as well as a digital clock…
Idea #5: Count on the way to school
Every day of the week, turn the school run into a little maths game! Ask your dyscalculic child to count all the blue cars, every road sign they pass, all the people wearing trousers they see, the steps they climb, and so on. Day after day, the instructions can change depending on your mood and what’s around…
The goal of these exercises is to help your dyscalculic child better understand, perceive, and handle numbers. More conventionally, you can also play board games with them – simply rolling dice and moving pieces is enough to give them practice, while making this a pleasant, fun moment.
