Let’s admit it. We are always in the hunt for the best way to teach Math in the most interesting way. More often than not, interesting means fun. This is especially true with kids. In order to let kids have a good grasp of Math, you have to make sure they learn it in a fun and engaging way. This is the reason why most instructors or teachers opt to use different Math game ideas to make Math learning fun.
What better way to make Math fun than to use toys or games to teach it. In the world of toys, nothing beats Legos in being fun, engaging, and educational! Math using Legos is simply one of the most common (and simply the best) way you can teach kids basic Math. You can buy them in packs or boxes of up to 400 to 800 bricks per pack which means you have a lot of room to play around. There are a couple of ways to make Math learning fun through Legos and we will list down some of the best (and not to mention, ingenious!) ways to use Legos to teach your kids some basic Math principles. So let’s do Math using Legos!
Our Favorite Math Game Ideas With Lego
Symmetry
If you are going to do Math using Lego then you might as well add in the facet of creativity in the mix. Due to the nature of Legos, you can easily guide kids into creating various designs and patterns with symmetry. For starters, you can ask your kids to create their own design that shows at least one line of symmetry. You can give them a building plate (10″ x 10″) where they can start with a flat surface. Ask them to create “picture-like” designs instead of buildings or 3d designs. For advance lessons, you can ask your kids to create designs with radial symmetry. Aside from teaching them Math basics, you are also letting them get in touch with their creative side. Just think about all the different designs your kids can think about.
Addition and Subtraction with Lego Blocks
This works well if you have a lot of smaller bricks. You can get it in packs like these to make the lesson easier. With the smaller bricks, you can visually show them how addition and subtraction works. For example, you take a 2 x 2 brick and tell them to add another 2 x 2 brick. Ask them to pick out a Lego brick that represents the sum. Do the same thing for subtraction. This method of teaching is easier on children as they can “see and touch” the operation itself.
Counting Lego Blocks and Sizes
For younger kids, you can teach counting through Legos. You can either opt for mini-figures to add more fun to the lesson. For regular bricks, you can either assign numbers per brick and ask kids to bring you numbers 1 to 10. For the mini-figures, you can get a set and ask your kids how many mini-figures are there.
The figures also work great for story-telling which is a very powerful way of introducing concepts and relating them to real life.
Lego Fraction Magic
To a lot of us, fractions are something to loathe. Good thing is, we can always use Legos to teach your kids fractions. Just add four identical Lego blocks together and you have a way to explain quarters. Again, the best thing about teaching using Legos is that your kids can easily work with them and they are tangible so they can, in a literal way, play around with each fraction. You can check out this fun Math game idea in the following video: