January in Australia means sunshine, road trips, and school holidays! It’s the perfect time for families to connect, explore, and have fun. Why not mix in some maths to keep young minds active? We’ve created a guide full of simple, fun, hands-on activities that parents and kids can enjoy together—no textbooks required.
On the Road: Maths for the Drive
Turn your car into a moving maths lab with these easy games and challenges:
1. Number Plate Maths:
Look at the number plates on passing cars. Add, subtract, or multiply the digits. For example, for the plate ABC 487, try 4 + 8 + 7. Challenge older kids to find number patterns or spot plates where all digits are even.
2. Distance Estimations:
Ask, “If we’re 120 km from our destination and driving at 80 km/h, how long will it take to get there?” Keep track of the actual time to compare later!
3. Snack Fractions:
Snack time? Use it as a chance to practise fractions. If you have ten pieces of fruit, what fraction of them are apples? How many would each person get if they were shared equally?
At the Beach: Maths with Sand and Shells
Who says maths can’t be part of a day at the beach?
1. Geometry in the Sand:
Build sandcastles and identify their shapes. Are they cubes, pyramids, or cylinders? Count how many faces, edges, and corners your structure has.
2. Shell Sorting:
Collect shells and group them by size, shape, or colour. Try graphing your findings by creating bar graphs in the sand or drawing them on paper later.
3. Wave Timing:
Challenge your kids to measure the time between waves. If five waves pass in one minute, how many waves would there be in 10 minutes?
Backyard Fun: Maths Without Leaving Home
No travel plans? No problem. Bring the maths fun to your backyard!
1. Water Volume Play:
Fill a bucket with water and smaller containers of different shapes. Guess which container holds the most, then measure to see if you were right.
2. Shadow Tracking:
Place a stick in the ground and track its shadow throughout the day. How does the length change? Can you measure the angles at different times?
3. DIY Obstacle Course:
Set up a course and time each participant’s run. Calculate the average time, the fastest time, and the difference between the slowest and fastest runs.
Rainy Day Maths: Indoor Adventures
Don’t let wet weather spoil the fun. Stay cosy and creative indoors:
1. Cooking Calculations:
Baking is full of maths! Halve or double recipes to practise fractions and multiplication. Ask, “If we need 2/3 of a cup of sugar, how many tablespoons is that?”
2. Puzzle Geometry:
Create your own maths-based puzzles. For example, make tangram shapes and challenge your child to fit them together into specific designs.
3. Weather Data:
Track the day’s temperatures and graph the highs and lows. Older kids can calculate the range and mean.
Nature Maths: Hiking and Exploring
If you’re exploring Australia’s incredible parks and trails, these activities will keep the maths fun going:
1. Trail Maps:
Use a map to calculate distances. If a trail is 3 km one way, how far will you walk on a return trip?
2. Wildlife Counting:
Spot birds, kangaroos, or other wildlife, and tally them as you go. Create simple pie charts to show what you’ve seen most.
3. Nature Patterns:
Look for symmetry in leaves, flowers, and trees. Count petals or note the repeating shapes in bark patterns.
Why Keep Maths in Your Holidays?
Integrating maths into everyday activities helps children stay sharp and avoid the “summer slide” while showing them how maths connects to the real world. Plus, it’s a great way to bond as a family while building problem-solving skills.
Maths is everywhere—on the road, at the beach, in your backyard, and beyond. Make the most of the holidays by exploring it together!
Mathnasium meets your child where they are and helps them with the customised programme they need, for any level of mathematics.
