Help a child with dyscalculia talk about maths worries and feel calm and safe to have a go. 3 short activities, 10 minutes each, over 1 week.
At a glance
- Time: 3 activities, 10 minutes each, over 1 week
- You need: pens or crayons, a calm moment after maths or homework, and the 3 free worksheets below
- Mooki cards: Maths Feelings Check-in, Worry Busters, Calm Before Maths (optional)
- By the end: you’ll know how maths makes the child feel, what worries them most, and have a short routine to use before maths
Why maths worries?
Worry about maths, often called maths anxiety, can start in the first years of primary school. Children who find maths hard are more likely to feel anxious, and anxiety then makes maths even harder.
Worry uses up working memory, the brain’s “notepad” for maths, leaving less room for the sum itself. Putting feelings into words, finding the real worry and having a calm routine can all help.
Mooki Cards are not a replacement for medical advice. If you are worried about your child, talk to your GP, health visitor or the school SENCo.
Before you start
- Print the worksheets. Or draw your own on plain paper.
- One a day. Do each activity on a different day so the child doesn’t feel overwhelmed.
- Pick a calm time. Straight after maths or homework works well, but not in the middle of a hard moment.
- Listen first. Take every worry seriously, even if it seems small to you.
Day 1: How does maths make you feel?
Helps the child put maths feelings into words. Uses the Maths Feelings Check-in card.
- Circle a face. After a maths lesson or homework, ask the child to circle a face for before, during and after maths. Younger children can just point.
- Talk and write. Talk about the faces they chose. Listen more than you talk. Fill in the lines together and agree one small thing to try.
Tip: repeat it every week or two, so you both notice when feelings start to change.
Day 2: What worries you about maths?
Helps you find the real worry, so you can change what sets it off. Uses the Worry Busters card.
- My maths worries. Read the worries together. Let the child tick any they have. There are no wrong answers.
- My biggest maths worry. Ask: “Which one is the biggest?” Write or draw it in the box.
- One thing that would help. Plan one small thing that would help, and share it with their teacher.
Tip: avoid “Don’t be silly”. Try: “That sounds hard. Let’s work on it together.”
Day 3: How can we get ready for maths?
Gives the child a short, calm routine to start maths with. Uses the Calm Before Maths card.
- Before homework or practice, the child circles one idea in each row: Calm my body, Get my tools ready and Start small.
- My routine. Write or draw their 3 picks in order: first, then, then.
- Use the same routine every time, so it becomes a habit.
Tip: keep it to 2 or 3 minutes. Practise the calming part on easy days too, so it is ready when maths feels hard.
After the week: ask yourself
- How did the child feel before, during and after maths?
- What is their biggest maths worry, and does their teacher know?
- Which part of the routine helps them most?
Get all 3 activities, plus 53 more
The Maths Feelings Check-in, Worry Busters and Calm Before Maths cards give you ready-made steps on the front and a picture activity for your child on the back. Everything is in one place. Each is one of 56 ten-minute activities in the Mooki Cards Dyscalculia deck.
Instant download · use on a phone or tablet, or print and fill in