5 Practical Mental Math Calculation Techniques For Kids

Do you want your child to be excellent in mental calculation? Well! You can achieve that by helping and guiding them on the right path. Teaching your kids practical mental calculation techniques will assist them in becoming masters in calculation. 

Mental Math is all about the ability to perform mathematical calculations in mind without a calculator and pen & paper. It demands strong memory skills and the ability to do calculations in your head quicker. 

Here, you will get five practical and valuable mental math strategies to help your kids maximize their mental math power.

1. Make kids solve word problems 

One of the best techniques to boost your kids’ mental math calculation is to allow them to solve word problems. Of course, it may look tricky for the kids, but once they understand the core concepts, it becomes much easier to do mental calculations. Before starting the calculation, reading the problem is vital. 

Applying the appropriate methods to get the correct answer is equally important.

For instance, consider this question: “One dozen of apples cost $6, and one dozen oranges cost $4.” Now, how much will two dozens of apples and oranges cost? It is a simple word problem. But kids often make mistakes in calculation. 

So, make sure your kids read the question and perform the right methods to get the right solution. Encourage them to work on these questions continuously to enhance their skills.

2. Let kids play estimation games

No other technique is more valuable than estimation games in enhancing mental calculation skills. The estimation goal is to predict the nearest possible answer and its correctness. Many ways exist to find estimates, such as compatible numbers and rounding off. You must train your kid in all these techniques to make them well-versed in estimation. 

Allowing them to play estimation games will unlock their mind to calculate and enhance their mental math. Your kid may feel hard to multiply 14×39 initially. But, once they know the estimation, they will round off 15 to 10 and 39 to 40. In this way, they will multiply the big numbers quickly and easily.

3. Teach the multiplication tricks 

Mathematics is dead easy to learn once you know the tricks. Many children are afraid of multiplication because it needs more than two operations to perform to get the final result. Learning the multiplication tricks will help calculate any big numbers easily.

Kids who know the multiplication tricks very well will solve complex two or three-digital multiplications in their heads. Before starting the multiplication tricks, ensure your kid knows the tables properly. It assists them in providing the answers quickly. 

Among several multiplication tricks, teach your kids the simple trick called rounding up the number.

4. Double and half method

Another important technique is the double-and-half method. This fantastic technique helps your child solve math problems easily. In this method, you must halve one of multiplication as long as doubling the other side of multiplication. The key to using this strategy is to select whenever you can make the math problem easier. 

5. Utilize the mental math sites and apps

Finally, you can help your child find reliable mental math websites and apps to enhance their skills. In the digital era, learning skills without going out is possible. You can use this great opportunity and let your child unlock their hidden skills. 

Various sites help the kids learn mental math calculations using interactive games. As the games are innovative and interesting, kids play them properly and understand the math behind them easily. They don’t find it boring and learn mathematics happily. 

Apart from these techniques, parents should follow a major technique to make their kids well-versed in mental calculation. It is nothing but allowing your child to learn mathematics experimentally and happily. You should not force them to learn anything as it impacts their memory and does not teach concepts in-depth.

How is mental math beneficial for kids?

Mental math offers tons of benefits in regular life. When letting kids learn mental math, they will grab the following benefits and achieve many things. 

• Practicing mental math sharpens kids’ brains and memory. It also enhances their imagination and creativity. As they continuously look for creative ways to solve different problems, their mind will keep working and end up with the best solution. It takes them to the next level in their academics and career.
• Calculating complex numbers in mind increases their self-confidence. 
• It stimulates the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex region in the brain. This region is highly responsible for mental troubles such as anxiety and depression. A child’s mental health is good if this region is active. 
• Finally, math becomes unavoidable in day-to-day life, from calculating daily expenses to saving money for the future. Learning mental math will make your child perform numerous applications efficiently. 

Conclusion

Mental math has become a vital part of life. Knowing how to calculate without a calculator and, paper & pen is important. So, train your kids in their beginning stages to learn mental math with these effective techniques. It helps them in their life in several ways. Motivate your child to make them an expert in mental calculation. 

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