Division is one of the most complicated concepts in math, especially for young minds. Once kids learn to count and add simple numbers, most teachers will introduce them to division, which is more challenging. Thankfully, division games make teaching and learning the concept easier at this stage, and this article will highlight precisely how.
The basic concept of division
To understand division properly, children must know the three basic division terms. The first is the Dividend; it is any number(s) they would split or divide, which could be large or small. The second term is a divisor, the number that would split the dividend. And depending on the division problem, the number could be an even or an odd one.
The last is the quotient, the number you get after dividing the dividend with the divisor. For example, 50 divided by 5 is 10. In this equation, 50 is the dividend, 5 is the divisor, and 10 is the quotient.
Teachers should make these terms easy to understand, recall and apply. Understanding these concepts makes it easy for children to tackle division problems, no matter how complicated they are. Teaching these terms and their applications using fun division games is one way to ensure that the children understand the division concept quickly.
What skills do kids need to learn division?
Children may need one or two basic math skills they learned in preschool when encountering division questions in higher grades. In a way, the division concept requires a combination of math skills for children to understand the concept. The following are some of the skills they need:
Counting skills
Counting is the basis of all math concepts, so before a child moves to more complicated math concepts, they must first know how to count. As you can expect, division problems require that kids count. As one number breaks through another number to give a quotient, the children will have to count each one that comes out to get the sum. Mastering counting will ensure kids understand the division techniques and how their teachers answer division questions.
Subtraction skills
In its simplest form, division in math is a more complex subtraction or subtractions at a faster rate. You can teach kids to use repeated subtractions to solve minor division problems. For instance, tell them to subtract 10 from 50 and repeat the process five times to teach that child that 50 ÷ 10 = 5.
Division skills by grades
Kids learn different division skills as they progress in their education, but they need to learn these skills sequentially to allow their brains to understand the concept better. Each grade comes with a new division problem that they must tackle with new knowledge and prior understanding of division concepts. With that in mind, here are different grades and the division skills the children need to understand:
Grade 3
Grade three is when children are first introduced to division by their teachers. They learn how to divide by repeatedly subtracting a smaller number from a bigger one. Often, the teachers provide two-digit numbers and teach them to divide them using a one-digit number. This process is easy, highlighting a concept they are already familiar with — subtraction. Division games for 3rd graders can help you teach children the idea of 3rd-grade divisions better.
Grade 4
Kids learn to subtract one-digit numbers from four-digit numbers in grade four. Here, the repeated subtraction method may not work anymore, so use division games for 4th graders to teach them to divide big numbers. Fourth graders learn to divide faster with repetitive games and other methods like the long division method.
Grade 5
In grade 5, the division problems become more complex as children may begin to divide four-digit numbers using other four-digit numbers. One way to solve this will be to use subtraction again, but only if the numbers are in multiples of tens or hundreds, like when solving 4000 ÷ 2000. Division games for 5th graders use the same technique but make it fun to help the kids learn.
Applying division skills in the real world
Kids should understand that division comes to play even when they are out of the classroom. They should learn to apply their division skills in their everyday lives. Besides, teaching children to use these division skills is also an excellent way to understand them better.
For instance, the ‘sharing is caring’ philosophy is an easy real-life situation where kids apply division skills. To leverage this idea, make kids share some candies among themselves. Teach them that the candies are the dividend, and the kids are the quotient. Using basic division skills, the kids will figure out the divisor by sharing the sweets among themselves, ensuring everyone gets a piece. Similarly, division games online can help you explain the division concept better to the kids using reenactments of real-life scenarios.
Are fun division games good for learning math?
Even adults sometimes need extra help to understand some math concepts. While the older generation may not have the luxury of fun math games, division games for kids help kids grasp division concepts without struggling. Sticking to the original method of teaching division may get you the best results in today’s learning environment.
Children with special needs respond to lessons differently from other children, often needing extra help. Using fun division games to explain basic division ideas will help them understand and remember your math lessons. It is a win in your books if a special needs child understands a math concept as quickly as the other kids, and you can make that happen with division games.
Children find it easy to focus on things that excite them, and long division is not exactly an exciting concept on paper unless your kid is the next Albert Einstein. On the other hand, interactive long division games will make it easier for all kids to learn and enjoy math at a comfortable pace. These online division games also bring you closer to your students, helping you bond with them, which always creates an ideal environment for learning math.
What skills can you improve in your kids by using free division games?
Having understood the value of division games, you may be wondering how they will help make your kid more resourceful. Teachers now know that division games help kids improve skills by observing them and noting changes in their skill levels. Some skills division games improve include:
Long division skills
Long division is one of the most complicated division concepts your kids will face. Thankfully, long division games exist online, and you can easily download them from free math resources websites. Using long division games online will ease your kids or students into the concept and ensure they learn using step-by-step processes, examples, and reliable shortcuts.
An understanding of the division by zeros
Division by zeros is often undefined because you cannot divide any number by zero. In like manner, multiplying any number by zero gives you zero. These ideas may be challenging to teach in class, but many developers of division games for kids cover them in their game levels.
Decimal divisions
Dividing decimals is complicated because kids will have to carry numbers over in their heads. However, division games make things easy in many ways; some show the kids the process while displaying the numbers they set aside while solving the problem. Kids become better at dividing numbers with decimals by following the laid-out procedures.
Fraction divisions
In fractional divisions, kids must learn that the denominator is the dividend while the numerator is the divisor. Advanced division games teach fractional division in ways that kids can interact, move symbols around and recall the techniques when solving on paper. Showing them how it works on a whiteboard isn’t as effective as having them get into the thick of things using division games.
Free division games
Teachers should use free division games to teach children because they are fun, promote interactive learning, and create classroom bonding experiences. If you are reluctant to use online division games because of subscription fees, you will be delighted to hear of free division games. Some free division games are even available offline, and you can recreate them in your classroom with objects.
As the teacher, you should check websites with free educational resources online. Math websites often have recommendations for you to improve your teaching, and you can use them when preparing division lessons for your students. But before introducing free division games to your students, take some time to test run them and be sure they are what your students need. Also, check user reviews and the available features to ensure you choose suitable games for your class size, type, and grade.
Conclusion
Using division games to teach kids helps everyone involved; it reduces the time you spend teaching and helps the kid understand better. Since kids have countless digital tools, apps, and influences today, why not leverage their love for digital devices? Invest in division games and reap the rewards — a faster, more inclusive, and fun way of learning math.