Maths can be a daunting subject for many young children at Junior Infants level. While many lesson plans have been revised to reflect new learning objectives in the curriculum, you may still be wondering how you can provide some extra support to your child so they feel more confident on their mathematical learning journey.
This article will introduce some of the ways you can support your child with their maths development outside of the classroom and how to choose the right activity book for them, and also highlight some excellent maths activity books they can work on at home and in the classroom.
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Supporting your Junior Infant with their maths
The best way to support your child with their home learning is to try and make maths more enjoyable. You may be at a loss thinking of ways to go about this, but it’s much easier than many parents realise. Activity books and worksheets are a hands-on way to help your child engage positively with maths. Rather than purely focusing on figures and mental maths, a more interactive approach to the learning process can help your child feel motivated to engage with the maths curriculum and more likely to retain information.
Incorporating the use of mathematical skills into everyday life can also spark transferable skills such as problem-solving. Playing with 3D shapes, baking together, letting your child set the dinner table to think about how much cutlery is needed per person, and even simple board games can help your Junior Infant build essential mathematical capabilities to support their development.
Finding the right maths activity book for your child
It can be hard finding the right set of maths activity books for your child if you don’t know where to look. To streamline the process, we advise you to crosscheck potential activity books with content on the Revised Mathematics Primary School Curriculum. Books that pass this checklist are ideal for reinforcing classroom learning at home, building up your child’s confidence in maths.
Make sure any activity book you buy for your child is appropriate for their age and introduces new maths topics and concepts at a suitable pace. We also recommend seeking out maths resources that combine different teaching approaches (such as diagrams, drawings and maths games) and are presented in a fun way through small steps and simple language. This will make maths much easier for your child, keeping them motivated.
Activity books for understanding maths in everyday life
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A great feature of this book is that it focuses on developing key maths skills in the curriculum, not just the content. It aims to improve your child’s understanding of maths in ‘real life’, particularly in problem-solving. |
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This is a great maths activity book for children who are more visual learners. It is in line with the Revised Mathematics Primary Curriculum and includes nursery rhymes for helping children remember crucial maths processes, activities and stickers. |
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Gill and Macmillan – Ready Steady Maths – Junior Infants Activity Book |
Ready Steady Maths is another example of an activity book constructed with the Primary School Curriculum in mind. With a range of Euro-based activities, the book will supply your child with a healthy understanding of how to apply maths in the real world. This book is part of a series that runs from Junior Infants to Sixth Class. |
Activity books for numeracy
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Figure It Out has been completely revised to reflect the key learning objectives in the Revised Mathematics Primary School Curriculum. It aims to help your child build up their numeracy in a logical, gradual way that ensures proper understanding, with special attention given to numeracy. |
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Mathemagic will help your child gain a deep and thorough understanding of Junior Infant level maths. The book references the curriculum and is another way to consolidate school learning at home. This activity book is perfect for children who are bilingual, as it’s also available in Irish. |
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Maths Aid is another activity book to try if you’re worried that your child is struggling with their numeracy skills. It’s easy to understand and will give your child more confidence. |
Complete maths programmes
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Planet Maths features sections that are heavy on problem-solving (a skill not just valuable for maths but across all subjects) as well as mathematical skills in real life contexts. It’s also a modern-day activity book that uses real-world examples and stimulating digital resources. |
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Operation Maths is a great pack that the rest of your children can get involved with, too. It's rather unique in that it offers the opportunity for pair work so that children can learn from one another in ways that adults simply can’t teach. Blended with digital resources influenced by the curriculum, it specialises in delivering Irish-specific maths lessons. |
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Busy at Maths is a Junior to Senior Infants package that delivers on its aim to re-energise the curriculum in a way that makes maths much more enjoyable for your child. It makes schoolwork seem less boring, with activities packed full of pictures and colours—perfect for visual learners. It features digital resources and peer work to appeal to every kind of learner. It is also available in Irish. |
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Maths Zone is a bestseller that emphasises the importance of clarity when teaching maths. Book 1 introduces pupils to counting and numeration, comparing, ordering and matching as well as measures such as time. |
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Make Sure Maths is a series that spans eight activity books and is sure to see your child right through Primary School. With each book representing one year, your child will receive well-delivered extra maths lessons from a resource developed with the curriculum in mind. It is designed to improve your child’s understanding, accuracy and speed with maths to develop their proficiency for later key stages and life outside of school. |
