5 Quick Math Drills to Use with Your 4th Grader

Fourth grade is a key year for a child’s math education. Granted, every grade in elementary school math is important, but a 4th grader faces new challenges as they transition from the flash cards and memorization of their younger years to more advanced concepts that will ultimately prepare them for algebra and geometry in middle and high school.

Fourth-graders struggling with math can benefit from an afterschool math program or additional tutoring. But all kids at this age, whether proficient or requiring extra help, can keep their skills sharp with quick, enjoyable math drills outside of school. Parents don’t need to turn to extra, tedious worksheets for their kids, who see enough written problems at school and for homework. Here are five effective and fun math drills that you can introduce to your 4th grader:

1. License plate game

Parents may feel like chauffeurs in their children’s busy lives, but time in the car can be turned into math opportunities. There are numbers all over the road—especially on the license plates of other cars. Instruct your 4th grader to pick out a car and read the numbers on the plate. From these numbers, the possibilities for math drills are endless:

• Double the number, or divide it by two.
• Multiply the digits together.
• Turn the first two digits into one number and multiply by the third digit.
• Round to the nearest ten or hundred.
• Reverse the number and add it to the original.

2. Multiplication/division dice

Roll two dice and multiply the generated two-digit number by the result of a third die, or divide the larger number by the smaller (don’t forget the remainder!). For more of a multiplication challenge, add another die to the second number. This easy game for fourth-graders provides multiplication and division work without the worksheets.