Fun Math Word Problems for Children to Do at Home

How Can Math Word Problems Be Fun?

Word problems don't have to be intimidating or overwhelming. You can help children make word problems more manageable by teaching them to attack one piece of information at a time. To make solving word problems more enjoyable, try using topics that are more interesting to children, such as sports or vacations. Making word problems humorous will also help make the problem seem more approachable.

Lower Elementary (1-2)

1. Macy and her parents are joining two other families for a vacation at the beach. Her friend Susan is coming to the beach with her two brothers and her parents. Macy's neighbors, Andy and Frances Moore, are bringing their five children and their two nieces. How many total people will be at the beach vacation?

To solve this problem your child should add: 3 + 5 + 9 = 17. This shows the total people that will be at the beach vacation.

2. For art class, each student needs three paint brushes and two colors of paint. If there are five people at a table, how many total brushes and total paints will be needed?

To determine the total number of brushes for the table, your child should add: 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 15. Similarly, to determine the total number of paints, your child should also add: 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 10.

3. Evan helped his mom set the table for dinner. Each place setting had a knife, a fork, a spoon and a glass. If there were 32 total items on the table, how many people must be expected for dinner?

To determine the number of people expected for dinner, your child could multiply: 4 x 8 = 32. This would show that eight people were expected for dinner. However, since multiplication isn't formally taught until third grade, it may be easier for your child to draw a picture to solve this problem.

Upper Elementary (3-5)

1. Your mom lets you drive her car to get gas. Her car will hold about 18 gallons of gas; each gallon costs $1.70. How much is it going to cost to fill up mom's car?

To determine the total amount of the gas your child should multiply: $1.70 x 18 = $30.60.

2. Add together the number of days in April, May and June. Divide this number by the number of quarters it takes to make $1.00. Now, multiply by the number of zeros in 1000. Take your answer and subtract three dozen. What is your final answer?

To solve this problem your child will have to complete multiple steps. The first step is for your child to add: 30 + 31 + 30 = 91, this shows the total number of days in the three months. Your child should take this total and divide: 91 ÷ 4 = 22.75. Since there are three zeros in 1000, your child needs to multiply: 22.75 x 3 = 68.25. To determine the final answer, subtract: 68.25 - 36 = 32.25.