Teaching Math and Fractions in the Kitchen

When we homeschooled our two children, we discovered the most valuable and enduring lessons were real life. This is especially true when teaching a child about math and fractions.

In traditional school textbooks, youngsters are often shown circular pie images, which are then divvied up into fractional pieces. Sometimes the concept is too abstract for young children and it takes a while before they catch on.

Place a fresh, home baked apple pie in front of two siblings, and tell them they can each have half. It is a sure bet they will, in a matter of seconds, understand the difference between a quarter piece of a pie, and a half a piece of a pie. Real life, those are the lessons that click in a child's mind, giving that "a-ha" moment.

Cooking with your youngster, whether that child is homeschooled or traditional schooled, provides both educational and emotional benefits. It gives parents and child that clichéd termed "quality time", while improving both reading and math skills.

Learning to read and follow a recipe is a life skill that can be applied to multiple future life tasks. Yes, it will help feed your family, but it will also teach your child how to follow future instruction booklets and manuals. It will also improve their reading and reasoning skills.

When the actual preparation of the recipe begins, and the measuring cups and measuring spoons are brought into the equation, there maybe no more tangible example to illustrate the concept of fractions than these instruments. Of course, dividing the fresh pie will probably trump these kitchen tools in getting the point across.

Our kitchen had several different kinds of measuring cups. There was the eight ounce glass measuring cup, the sixteen ounce glass measuring cup, and those fractional cups, such as a third cup or quarter cup. When a child is involved with the measuring process, it provides a long lasting understanding of the concept.

Measuring cups and measuring spoons aren't the only objects that can help your children grasp measurement concepts. Bring out the gallon or half-gallon of milk, and discuss the difference of size, read the packaging and show your child where it states the quantity. The next time your child is trying to answer a homework question, involving how many cups to the gallon, chances are he or she will run to the refrigerator for the answer, instead of asking mom or dad.

For years there was a gender bias about a kitchen. It was the woman's place. These days it is not just the woman and man's place, it should also be the child's.