What to do when you run out of math for your kid

Finding resources when you don't have a clue

You've run out of mathematics for your kid

Your math kid showcased advanced problem-solving skills, quick learning, and an early understanding of complex mathematics concepts.

They quickly ran out of math materials to work on based on their age-bound school mathematical curriculum.

So when they ask for more math at home, you're stuck trying to figure out what math-maturity-appropriate material to provide them.

img src: Tom Hermans

You want to ensure you give your kid a joyous and stress-free learning environment rather than forcing them to go through different math worksheets or resources they need to be more excited about.

You don't want to make them less excited about mathematics.

Given the wide variety of resources available on YouTube, the internet, books, videos, movies, textbooks, tutors, learning materials, and more, what materials will work for you and your kid needs to be clarified.

Further, it may need to be clarified what types of resources (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.) will work, given your kid's stage of development and how they want to learn math.

It's easy to feel powerless in knowing how to help your child best when it sounds like you are bragging to other parents when you broach the subject.

What if you knew what resources worked best, at this moment in time, for your child's learning style?

What your child's love of mathematics means changes as they grow older, so it's hard to know how they are currently absorbing information.

Their unique learning style now plays a crucial role in how they grasp new mathematical concepts.

For children who are visual learners, resources with engaging graphics, interactive videos, and visually rich applications can be most effective.

Auditory learners might find educational podcasts or discussions around mathematical ideas more beneficial.

Kinesthetic learners often thrive with hands-on activities or interactive experiments that allow them to engage with mathematical principles physically.

Understanding and aligning resources with these learning preferences can make math more understandable and enjoyable for your child.

What if you knew the perfect math material for your kid that would make them more passionate about math?

Imagine you had already raised your math kid successfully and had a list of materials for your different age and "gifted-ness" ranges that would help them develop persistence in mathematical problem solving, deepen their interest in what the math universe has to offer, and continue to build a love for learning and challenges in math.

You would be an excellent resource for other math parents in helping them support their children with books specifically tailored to their needs - fostering their potential while nurturing their interest and love in math.

Also, their passion for the new materials would bleed into other subjects, helping to round out their education and interests.

How can you create a predictable, repeatable way to find suitable math material?

You could show them the resources if you knew what your kid wanted to learn and get out of math.

You could stop worrying, "Will they like this?" because you'd know they would.

You could stop wondering, "What if they don't like it?" because you picked it out just for them.

You could relax knowing that regardless of how far ahead they got in mathematics, you'd be able to meet their needs.

You could always have a new resource to get them excited by people you trust, who will show your child the way.

You would even find exploring new resources enjoyable and stress-free.

Learn and practice focusing on finding people who have come before you

Other math-kid parents and educators have come before you.

You are not alone.

There are parents, teachers, school administrators, math researchers, entrepreneurs, and others who have thought through how to "Feed the brains" of math kids.

They have done all the trial and error before you knew you had a math kid.

They have stayed up late at night with tears of frustration, wondering what would happen to their kid and why no one took them seriously.

They are out there.

Finding those who have come before you

You want to find other math-kid parents and educators by doing general online research and joining online communities.

For instance, you could find subreddits on Reddit about math education, giftedness, math, math homework, and more.

Or you go to your favorite search engine and type the phrase, without quotes, "math books for gifted child Reddit."

Likewise, you can go on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Quora, etc., to find similar threads and see what people recommend.

My list is 100 items long. What is the best for my kid?

I can give you a list of about ten books per age range and "gifted-ness" range, but that won't solve your problem.

And that's because neither I (nor the people on Reddit, YouTube, etc.) am your kid.

For example, I could tell you to find the nearest Russian School of Mathematics (RSM) to help your kid really master Algebra because it's an in-person class with other kids.

Or, I could tell you to do the text-based AoPS classes because it'll mean your kid learns how to write mathematics in LaTeX, which will be very helpful when they get to college.

Or, I could tell you to buy/borrow books like "What Is the Name of This Book?: The Riddle of Dracula and Other Logical Puzzles", or "The Joy of X," or "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea," or Baby Rudin, etc.

Or, I could tell you to watch Numberphile, MinutePhysics, MIT's Open Courseware Lectures, or more on YouTube.

But this won't help you because your kid is your kid.

Without an in-depth interview of your kid, it's unclear where they are, what gives them joy, what learning styles (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) work best for them when learning math, or more.

So, the best way to do it is to start at the top of the list and work through it as fast as possible with your kid.

If your kids don't like it after a few pages, videos, days, or problems, archive the resource for now and move on.

The idea is that what you want is to find something, whatever it is, that resonates with your kid and then do a good amount of that until they want something else.

Remember - finding the right resource should be as enjoyable and stress-free as possible for you (the parent/guardian) and the child.

So, if something doesn't work, move on to the next one.

And if none work, keep searching and trying new things.

What worked for us

We did the above.

We took that huge list and worked our way through it.

Before settling on one, we tried about five paid in-person/online math programs.

We also tried in-person and online 1-on-1 tutoring.

We also reviewed many books from the library and used bookstores around different mat subjects.

Surprising to our family was that we ended up with a math program geared towards math competitions even though we wanted to stay away from them.

It also combines a version of online classes and text-based work, which we thought would come in third to an in-person option.

It's your turn to go search

The best way to figure out what math to give to your kid is to see what people who have gone before you recommend and then try to see what works for your child.

Please keep an open mind and determine what works for them and why.

Resources you have found may change as your child ages.

Also - just because it worked for someone else doesn't mean it'll work for you.

Similarly, if it didn't work for someone else, it doesn't mean it won't work for your child.

In the long run, the idea is to provide continual support and challenge for your kid who loves math.

Remember, the goal is to inform, inspire, and guide your child in their journey to becoming an adult who loves math.

Your journey will be enjoyable and stress-free if you view it through the lens of you and your child getting to know themselves, what they like, and how they want to learn math.

Your call to action: Let me/us know what you found and what worked for you in the comments below or by replying to the email.

If enough people respond, we can start a curated list of resources as a starting point for parents.

I'll share two potential resources in the comments below.

Until next time,

Sebastian

[note, for those reading on email, the two resources in the comments]

Mathematical Association of America's Summer Reading List 2022 by Darren Glass, a mathematics professor at Gettysburg College for 15 years, whose teaching and research interests include number theory, graph theory, and cryptography. (https://www.mathvalues.org/masterblog/summer-reading-list-2022)

Art of Problem Solving's Contest Preparation Recommendations. This list includes not only AoP's books but also books compiled by the organizers of various major math contests (https://artofproblemsolving.com/store/recommendations#state/112:~:text=Contest%20Preparation%20Recommendations)