What’s a little Pi between friends? Or cake? Today is Pi day and also, most appropriately, Einstein’s birthdate. Time for some Pi day fun for kids.
The value of Pi is approximately 3.14 so March 14th is obviously the day to celebrate. Isn’t it amazing that Einstein, the most famous mathematician, was born on this date? Math anxiety is pretty common for kids and adults, but even if you find math scary, you can help your child have math fun. Here are 3.14 ideas for some pi day fun for kids.
1. For young kids, making a pie involves lots of math. It could be cherry, blueberry, peach, apple, or something else. Pizza is also a pie, even if we rarely call it pizza pie anymore.
A recipe will have ingredients to measure and count. Learning the names of numbers is only a start. In order to count, kids need to understand that one number goes to one thing. When a recipe calls for 1 cup of flour, we only dump in a cup one time. If 3 cups are needed, we have to do it 3 times. Figuring out 1 number goes to one thing seems obvious to us. Kids develop this understanding with lots of different experiences.
By giving kids hands-on time with parts and wholes, we are helping them understand the basis of fractions. Again, this isn’t prewired into the brain. It comes from the opportunities kids have over and over.
As you and your child make a pie, besides numbers you will use words. More, less, big, small, half, whole, and even pinch, are also math.What’s a cake without candles? Instead of pie, you and your child could make a cake. If baking isn’t an option for the day, kids can make a cake with play dough. There’s still lots of math. Count the candles or other decorations on the cake. You can even sing Happy Birthday to Einstein.
2. What’s a cake without candles? Instead of pie, you and your child could make a cake. If baking isn’t an option for the day, kids can make a cake with play dough. There’s still lots of math. Count the candles or other decorations on the cake. You can even sing Happy Birthday to Einstein.
3. With a magnifying glass, real or pretend, kids can be math detectives and look for numbers. There will be numbers on the dishwasher, clocks, and products in the fridge and cupboard. Outside, there are numbers on houses and apartments. Buses and signs have numbers. Do you remember the numbers on your car licence plate?
Since .14 is only a small amount, here is a game that delivers only a little bit of pie but is loads of pi day fun for kids–and adults too!