The Secret Key to Learning Math

Textbooks make math feel like a ladder to climb, rung by rung, working systematically from one topic to the next. But that’s an illusion. Learning math is more like taking a meandering nature walk. Kids need to wander around the concepts, notice things, wonder about them, and enjoy the journey.

Most people believe the goal of math is to get right answers. So we give our children a page of math problems to work, then we check their answers and tell them what they got wrong. When we focus on right answers, we can make our children feel like a failure at math.

Instead, we need to focus our math lessons on thinking, playing with ideas, reasoning and figuring things out. And when we make mathematical thinking our goal, the right answers will come along as a side-effect, a natural result of making sense of the math.

—Denise Gaskins

Woman reading playful math book

For Parents and Teachers

Playful Math Books

“Reading one of Gaskins’ books is like going to a really great teacher workshop — part philosophy, part practical ideas, and all excellent. She just oozes expertise and enthusiasm.”

—Amy, Hope is the Word blog

Browse Denise's Books
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Play Math with Your Kids

Printable Games and Activities

“It’s a crime, really, that school makes math so boring, when there are so many ways to do the opposite, for anyone who wants to. Denise Gaskins’s books are full of ideas.”

—Sasha Alyson, reader review

Explore Our Activity Guides
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Show Off Your Playful Spirit

Mathy Merchandise

“It doesn’t matter whether your students are homeschooled or in a classroom, distance-learning or in person. Everyone can enjoy the experience of playing around with math.”

—Denise Gaskins

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Learning is a Lifelong Adventure

“With this approach I can teach my kids to think like mathematicians without worrying about leaving gaps. I can’t wait to take my children by the hand and head off to explore the wonderful world of maths.”

—Lucinda Leo, Navigating by Joy blog

Math Without Tears

“Denise Gaskins is that sound voice of reason that comes into my head when I get agitated teaching. This isn’t performance — this is play. My kids aren’t on trial, they are learning to learn.”

—Sonya Post, author of Learning Well at Home

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Launch Your Educational Journey with Play

“Math is so many things — beauty, structure, problem solving, communication, language, creativity — but here’s what I’ve learned as I’ve tried to help my children develop positive relationships with math:

It All Begins With Play.

Anything by Denise Gaskins is a fantastic place to start. These books are filled with the perfect combination of perspective and practicality.”

—Michele Johnson, Instagram review

  • Snowman in sunlight

    Math Activities for the Holidays

    Are you looking for fun ways to keep your children busy (and learning!) through the holidays? Here are three printable activity guides you might enjoy: Holiday Countdown Denise Gaskins's newest...

    Math Activities for the Holidays

    Are you looking for fun ways to keep your children busy (and learning!) through the holidays? Here are three printable activity guides you might enjoy: Holiday Countdown Denise Gaskins's newest...

  • November Sale: Math Art Activity Guides

    November Sale: Math Art Activity Guides

    When students learn to visualize shapes, designs, and patterns, it makes them better at math. Even topics like algebra can be surprisingly visual. Art lets children experiment with geometric shapes...

    November Sale: Math Art Activity Guides

    When students learn to visualize shapes, designs, and patterns, it makes them better at math. Even topics like algebra can be surprisingly visual. Art lets children experiment with geometric shapes...

  • Active Learning Math T-shirt

    T-Shirt Sale This Month

    Hey, look! The Playful Math Store is having a T-shirt sale. Every shirt in the store is marked down 15% for the month of October. You can show your mathy...

    T-Shirt Sale This Month

    Hey, look! The Playful Math Store is having a T-shirt sale. Every shirt in the store is marked down 15% for the month of October. You can show your mathy...

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