What’s the best way to get your kids to fall in love with math?
It can be helpful to draw inspiration from some of the great scientific thinkers of our era.
As a kid, Vera Rubin used to watch the stars drift past her bedroom window. Her father helped her build a simple telescope so she could see them more clearly. Years later, she became the astronomer who discovered evidence of dark matter, one of the most important findings in modern astrophysics.
Richard Feynman, growing up in Queens, spent hours fixing radios, building circuits, and conducting small experiments in his home workshop. Those playful tinkering sessions built the intuition that later defined his career as one of the most original physicists of the 20th century.
Chien-Shiung Wu, growing up in rural China, collected insects, performed simple experiments, and read physics books at night by lamplight. Decades later, her groundbreaking work at Columbia University reshaped our understanding of the universe.
These small, joyful, out-of-school moments turned into sparks that powered some of the most revolutionary thinkers in science and mathematics.
Even though we all study math and science in school, the most transformative experiences often happen elsewhere. A landmark study funded by the National Science Foundation found that most scientists trace their earliest inspiration to out-of-school experiences, whether it’s a museum visit, a hobby, a summer project, or simply the freedom to explore.
While there are countless ways for kids to engage in science, equally rich out-of-school experiences in mathematics are much rarer.
That’s part of what inspired us to create Tile Farm Academy. We want to give kids a chance to truly fall in love with math in the same way kids fall in love with science, music, or sports.
While thousands of students use Tile Farm Academy in school, some of our most positive feedback has been from after school programs and home users. It is during this time that students have the most liberty to freely explore, play, and experiment with all the Tile Farm Academy has to offer.
Alisa Kuso, a mother in Los Angeles, California said it best: “The best part about watching our kids use Tile Farm is that they don’t even realize that it’s a math learning tool and they are just having fun.”
So what’s the best way to get your kids to fall in love with math?
Let them be their curious and creative selves. Let them experiment, play, and discover. Because you never know which small, joyful moment today might grow into tomorrow’s revolutionary ideas.
Interested in joyful math experiences for your kids? Sign up for a free trial of Tile Farm Academy.