If your child struggles with maths, you might be tempted to print out worksheet after worksheet, hoping something will stick. After all, their teacher probably sends them home with worksheets all the time. But here’s the thing: maths confidence doesn’t come from repetition — it comes from real understanding.
In this post, I’ll show you how to build your child’s maths foundations in a way that’s fun, hands-on, and actually works — especially if worksheets have left them frustrated in the past.
Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that I may receive a small commision – at no cost to you – if you make a purchase through these links. Thank you for your support!
Why Worksheets Often Miss the Mark
Worksheets can be useful in small doses, but they’re often:
- Too abstract
- Overwhelming, especially if there are too many questions
- Focused on speed, not understanding
- Disconnected from real-world thinking
For children who are already anxious about maths, this can make things worse. Instead, we want to build deep understanding — the kind that sticks.
What Does a Strong Maths Foundation Look Like?
Before a child can solve problems confidently, they need solid number sense and flexible thinking. That means they can:
- Visualise numbers in different ways
- Understand what operations, i.e. addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, mean (not just memorising and following steps)
- Make connections — like how addition can be done in any order and that addition and subtraction are related
- Estimate and reason, not just memorise facts
As I mentioned in my last post, it’s like constructing a building. If the base is wobbly, everything built above becomes shaky.
So…how do you build that foundation?
4 Hands-On Ways to Build Maths Confidence at Home
Here are 4 simple worksheet-free ways to start strengthening your child’s maths foundation today:
1. Use Physical and Visual Resources (Even if They Seem ‘Too Young’)
Children need to see how numbers work. One of my biggest teacher bugbears is that children don’t get to use manipulative resources enough at school throughout Key Stage 2. Children are never too old to have access to hands-on tools.
These tools don’t need to be fancy or expensive. At home you could use:
- Beads, lolly sticks, Lego, or counters
- Number lines and hundred squares
- Playing cards and dominoes
- Drawings and diagrams
When they can picture what’s happening, the lightbulbs start to switch on!
2. Play With Numbers
Maths is everywhere — in games, in cooking, traveling in the car, in conversation. Try:
- Guess the number games: “I’m thinking of a number with 2-digits. It’s an odd number… etc”
- Sorting and grouping household items: try clothes pegs, paperclips, cutlery. Ask why they have sorted them in that way, are there any other ways they could sort them?
- Using dice to practise number bonds or multiplication. You can buy 10-sided dice with faces numbered from 0 to 9 (known as D10 dice), which are perfect for this.
- Talking through your day-to-day thinking: “I had 10 grapes, I ate 3… how many now?”
This helps develop flexibility and fluency, not just rote learning and makes maths ‘real’.
3. Break Concepts Into Tiny Steps
Often children struggle because something crucial was skipped. Go back and:
- Rebuild number bonds
- Revisit place value with objects
- Use physical items to explain frequently confusing concepts like regrouping or exchanging
- Model problems out loud – “I know 6 + 4 is 10, so 16 + 4 must be 20…”
No pressure — just curiosity and clarity.
4. Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection
I cannot say this enough, and say it to clients all the time. Confidence is everything. Notice effort, not speed. Instead of saying “That’s wrong,” try:
- “Let’s figure this out together”
- “Show me what you were thinking”
- “What do you notice about this problem?”
The goal is to help your child feel capable — not correct 100% of the time.
Want a Helping Hand?
I’ve created a free Maths Skills Checklist to help you see where your child is confident and where they might need a little boost.
✅ It’s gentle, visual, and pressure-free — just like my approach.
📥 Complete the form below to get your checklist delivered to your inbox!
And if you’re looking for hands-on, fun resources to support these foundation concepts that can become tricky areas, I’ve got printable packs coming soon — stay tuned!
Final thoughts
A strong maths foundation doesn’t come from rushing or drilling — it comes from slowing down, tuning in, and giving your child the tools to truly understand.
You’re not behind. You’re building something better.
0 Comments