Don't be a square. Get well rounded.

I have just ambitiously signed up for four math courses which begin next week.

Am I terrified?

Yeah, a little bit. But I am also very excited. Multivariable Calculus, Real Analysis (as opposed to imaginary analysis.... seriously!), Problem Solving, History of Math. I'm not ashamed to admit it: I like numbers. Quantities and algebra weave through my mind like verbiage in the brain of Mordecai Richler.

Okay, maybe I'm no mathematical Mordecai. But I still love algebra.

Unfortunately, mathematics have become esoteric. Recreational mathematics doesn't exist for the general population. People don't tend to whip out geometric proofs to kill time at the bus stop or solve matrices at the beach while relaxing in the sun. Why? It's too hard. It's no fun. I wasn't good at it in high school. It isn't useful.

Does this approach to math look familiar?
So how do we raise our kids?


Do we only encourage the children who excel at sports to be active? NO. Everybody needs physical activity to be healthy.

Do we only encourage the children who excel at music to be creative? NO. Everybody needs to develop creative intelligence through music, art, creative writing, drama, or some other media.

Do we only encourage the children who excel socially to develop their interpersonal skills? NO. Everyone needs to practice social skills to build and maintain relationships.

But math and science... that's a different story for many kids.

It's pretty easy to make the above activities fun for kids. Start a band. Enroll in dance class. Join a sports team. Have a playdate. Join a summer camp. But math and science often get labeled as "hard work" and "no fun," discouraging kids from developing healthy curiosity and reasoning skills which are so important for adult life. Math is more than numbers: it teaches logic, pattern recognition, categorizatoinal skills, inductive and deductive reasoning, and many more essentail skills.

Here are ten simple, inexpensive, and FUN ideas to encourage recreational science and math in your household with your kids:

1. Tangram puzzles - seven pieces should be assembled into a square. It's not as easy as it looks. These usually go for about a buck, or you can google and print your own. LESSON: Spatial mathematics.

2. Mix cornstarch and water together to make a thick paste with properties of both solids and liquids. We call this a non-Newtonian fluid. (NOTE: Do this outside and use a hose to rinse off any surfaces that it gets on. DON'T pour it down the sink!) LESSON: types of matter.

3. Go for a walk in a park or at the beach at low tide and see how many local plants or animals you can name. Some parks have free interpretive programs in the summer. LESSON: local ecosystems.

4. Try Sudoku. Puzzles range from easy to very difficult and are often free in your local newspaper or on the internet. The aim is to get the numbers 1-9 in each of 9 columns, 9 rows, and 9 3x3 grids. LESSON: deductive reasoning.

5. Mix a little baking soda and vinegar. Add food colouring to the vinegar for a prettier explosion. LESSON: chemical reactions.

6. Put some milk in a shallow dish. Add a few drops of food colouring to the surface to make a pretty, splotchy pattern. Then add a few drops of dishsoap to see the colour spread like magic.
LESSON: surface tension.

7. Make a lava lamp. Fill a bottle 3/4 full with water. Add a little food colouring. Fill the rest of the bottle with canola oil and a little salt and put the lid on. LESSON: density.

8. Head out to a dark place with a warm blanket and do some star gazing. Search for your favourite constellations. If you go in mid-August, look for meteors (shooting stars). LESSON: astronomy.

9. Next time you are at the beach or river, look at the types of rocks. Are there smooth stones which were eroded by the ocean? Do the rocks have visible layers or shiny crystals? Is there moss growing on the rocks? Are there coloured rocks (other than grey)? LESSON: geology.

10. Google brain teasers and riddles, most of which push your mathematical and reasoning skills. LESSON: analysis and reasoning.

So maybe your kids don't want to take a course multivariable calculus or Einstein's relativity. But math and science (just like physical interaction, social skills, and creative activities) are part of a healthy, balanced, and enjoyable lifestyle. Enjoy! And remember (in the words of one of my chemistry profs), it's all about the journey.