Maths help for parents

You don't need to be a maths whizz to help! Bees make honey one flower at a time, and a few friendly minutes of maths each day works the same way.

If your child's maths homework leaves you scratching your head, you're in good company. Methods have changed, the words are new, and it's been a while since most of us thought about long division. The good news is that the most helpful things you can do at home don't need any of that: a few minutes of maths talk a day, plenty of encouragement, and a calm "show me how you did it". These guides explain the rest in plain English.

Guides for parents

Helping at homeLittle and often, good questions, homework help, and what to do when you don't know the method.

How maths is taught nowTen frames, number lines, column methods, the bus stop and bar models, with pictures.

Maths tests explainedThe Reception Baseline, the Year 4 times tables check and Year 6 SATs.

“I’m bad at maths”Helping a worried child feel confident with numbers again.

Everyday maths38 quick activities for cooking, shopping, journeys and games.

More help

Find your child's year groupWhat children learn in each year, from Reception to Year 6.

Free worksheetsPrintable practice for every topic, each with an answer sheet.

Times tables practiceFun ways to learn the tables, and the Year 4 check.

Number bonds to 20The facts almost every later sum leans on.

Maths glossaryEvery maths word your child will meet, explained.

Indie's tip

When your child is stuck, try "show me what you've done so far" before anything else. You'll find out exactly where they got stuck, and they'll often spot the answer while explaining.

Practise with Indie

Beequation Kids turns number facts into honeycomb puzzles, with Indie giving a hint when a child is stuck. No ads and no data collected.

Play free in your browser Free worksheets