“I’m rubbish at maths.”
As a parent this sentence was surprisingly difficult to know how to respond to.
When my son came home every week convinced he was no good at maths all kinds of thoughts ran through my mind. Do I tell him that he’s definitely not bad at maths? Sit down and practise more? Speak to their teacher? Buy a workbook? Or leave maths at school and concentrate on rebuilding his confidence?
When a child decides that they are “bad at maths”, the problem can become bigger than the particular calculation they are struggling with. They can begin to see being good or bad at maths as part of who they are.
But finding maths difficult doesn’t mean a child isn’t clever, and struggling with something now doesn’t mean they’ll always struggle with it.
If your child has started saying they can’t do maths, here are some practical ways to help them build both their mathematical skills and, just as importantly, their confidence.
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Why does my child think they’re bad at maths?
First, try to find out where the feeling is coming from. A child saying “I’m bad at maths,” could actually mean:
- “Everyone else seems quicker than me.”
- “I don’t understand fractions.”
- “I got lots of questions wrong today.”
- “I hate being put on the spot.”
- “I can’t remember my times tables quickly.”
- “My friend gets higher marks than me.”
- “The work has suddenly become harder.”
- “I’m worried about getting the answer wrong.”
Those are very different problems.
Instead of immediately replying, “No you’re not!”, try asking something like:
“What happened today that made you feel like that?”
You may discover that maths itself isn’t really the problem at all.
1. Separate “I can’t do this” from “I’m bad at maths”
This is probably one of the most important distinctions we can help children make.
Not understanding long division, fractions or a particular word problem doesn’t mean you’re bad at mathematics.
It means you haven’t mastered that particular skill yet.
Try changing:
“I’m rubbish at maths.”
to:
“I’m finding this type of maths difficult at the moment.”
It’s a small linguistic change, but the second statement describes a problem that can be solved rather than an identity that feels permanent.
2. Don’t make speed the definition of being good at maths
Children often compare themselves with classmates who can put their hand up immediately or finish a sheet first.
That can create the impression that fast = clever.
It doesn’t.
Mathematics involves much more than remembering an answer quickly. Children need to understand mathematical concepts, recognise patterns, reason, estimate, explain their thinking and solve unfamiliar problems.
If your child takes longer to reach an answer, resist putting too much emphasis on speed.
Instead ask:
“How did you work that out?”
You may be surprised by how much mathematical thinking is happening behind an answer.
3. Praise the process rather than simply the correct answer
It’s lovely to say “well done” when a child gets ten questions right.
But there are other things worth noticing too.
Try praising:
“You kept going even though that was difficult.”
“I like how you checked your answer.”
“That was a clever way of working it out.”
“You spotted your own mistake.”
“You asked for help when you needed it.”
“You tried another method when the first one didn’t work.”
This shifts the achievement from simply being right to learning how to solve problems.
And that’s an incredibly useful skill far beyond maths.
4. Find the missing building block
Sometimes a child appears to be struggling with the maths they’re currently learning when the real problem is something underneath it.
For example, division can feel much harder if multiplication facts aren’t secure.
Fractions become difficult if a child doesn’t fully understand division or equivalent values.
Long multiplication becomes overwhelming if place value isn’t secure.
Instead of repeatedly practising the difficult question, go backwards and see whether there’s an earlier skill that needs reinforcing.
A child’s teacher can be particularly helpful here because they’ll know which concepts underpin the current work.
5. Talk to their teacher
If your child regularly says they’re bad at maths, it’s worth mentioning it to their teacher.
You don’t need to wait until parents’ evening.
Ask:
- Is my child working at the expected level?
- Are there particular areas they’re finding difficult?
- Is confidence different from actual attainment?
- What are you currently covering in class?
- Is there anything useful we could practise at home?
- Are there methods you use at school that we should use too?
That last question is particularly useful.
The way maths is taught may have changed considerably since we were at primary school. Teaching a completely different method at home can sometimes create more confusion rather than less.
6. Keep maths practice short
If maths has already become an emotional subject, sitting a child down with an enormous workbook for an hour probably isn’t going to improve their relationship with it.
Ten relaxed minutes can be much more productive than an hour-long battle.
You might practise five calculations, play a maths game or do a couple of pages of an activity book.
Then stop.
Regular, manageable practice can help skills become more familiar without turning every evening into another school lesson.
Useful maths books for home
If your child likes having something physical to work through, age-appropriate books can be useful – particularly if you use them for short practice rather than expecting your child to complete pages and pages at once.
Maths books for Early Years and Reception
For younger children, maths practice doesn’t need to feel like formal homework. Look for colourful activity books that introduce numbers, counting, shapes, patterns and simple calculations through short, playful activities.
Here are three good options for building early maths confidence at home:
CGP Maths Activity Book for Ages 4–5 (Reception)
A colourful introduction to Reception-level maths with short activities that children can tackle a little at a time.
Buy Here: CGP Maths Activity Book for Ages 4–5 (Reception)
Collins Easy Learning Numbers Ages 3–5
A gentle choice for younger children who are beginning to recognise, write and work with numbers
Buy Here: Collins Easy Learning Numbers Ages 3–5
Usborne Wipe-Clean First Maths
The wipe-clean format means children can practise an activity and simply try again – particularly useful when you’re trying to make mistakes feel like a normal part of learning.
Buy Here: Usborne Wipe-Clean First Maths
Maths books for Key Stage 1
For children in Years 1 and 2 (ages 5–7), maths starts to build on those early number skills with addition and subtraction, place value, simple multiplication and division, fractions, measurement, shapes and problem solving.
The best books at this age are colourful, accessible and broken into short activities so that maths practice doesn’t start to feel like a chore.
CGP KS1 Maths Study & Practice Book – Ages 5–7
A useful all-round maths book covering key topics for Years 1 and 2, with explanations followed by opportunities to practise. It’s a good choice if you want one general KS1 maths resource to keep at home.
Buy Here: CGP KS1 Maths Study & Practice Book Ages 5–7]
Collins Easy Learning KS1 Maths – Ages 5–7
Designed to reinforce the maths children learn during Key Stage 1 through manageable activities. This could be particularly useful for a child who benefits from a little extra practice at home without being overwhelmed by a large amount of work.
Buy Here: Collins Easy Learning KS1 Maths Ages 5–7
Wipe-Clean Times Tables
A fun introduction to multiplication practice, with the added advantage that children can wipe away their answers and have another go. I’d introduce times tables gradually and keep this kind of activity relaxed rather than focusing heavily on speed.
Buy Here: Wipe-Clean Times Tables
Key Stage Two Maths
For children aged 7–11, a good maths book can help reinforce what they’re learning at school without turning evenings into another full lesson. Look for resources that break topics into manageable chunks and are appropriate for your child’s school year.
Times Tables & Multiplication Skills Activity Book for Ages 9-11 (CGP KS2 Practise & Learn)
A colourful, approachable workbook for building confidence with times tables and multiplication. It covers times tables, division, squares, primes and cubes, with clear explanations followed by activities, puzzles and challenges. There are also self-assessment boxes so children can see their progress – a nice choice for short bursts of practice at home rather than lengthy maths sessions.
Buy Here: Times Tables & Multiplication Skills Activity Book
Times Tables: 100 Practice Pages – Timed Tests – Multiplication Math Drills – KS2 Workbook – (Ages 7-11)
A straightforward practice book for children who need extra repetition to make their times tables more familiar. With 100 practice pages and multiplication drills, this is particularly useful for regular little-and-often practice at home. For children whose maths confidence is low, I’d use the timed elements carefully and concentrate on improving their own scores rather than comparing their speed with anyone else’s.
Buy Here: Times Tables: 100 Practice Pages
Collins KS2 Maths SATs Question Cards
A handy alternative to another workbook, with 72 cards covering individual maths topics, mixed practice and SATs-style questions. Answers and explanations are included on the reverse, along with helpful hints and parent tips. They’re particularly useful for Year 6 because you can pick out a few cards for a quick revision session rather than sitting down to complete pages of SATs practice.
Buy Here: Collins KS2 Maths SATs Question Cards
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7. Make maths part of normal life
One of the best ways to take the fear out of maths is to stop making it something that only happens on a worksheet.
There is maths everywhere.
Cooking
Ask your child to weigh ingredients, read scales or double a recipe.
Shopping
Give them a budget.
“If you’ve got £10 and this costs £6.75, how much will you have left?”
Older children can work out discounts and compare prices.
Restaurants
Estimate the bill before it arrives.
Travel
“How long will it take us if we leave at 10:30 and the journey takes 45 minutes?”
Sport
Scores, averages, distances, league tables and statistics are all maths.
Decorating
Measure a wall or calculate how many boxes of flooring might be needed.
Pocket money
Saving and spending introduces budgeting, addition, subtraction, percentages and financial literacy.
A child who says they’re terrible at maths may actually be successfully using maths throughout their day without even noticing.
8. Use their interests
You don’t have to make every maths activity look educational.
If your child loves football, use scores and statistics.
If they love Minecraft, talk about blocks, coordinates, area and dimensions.
If they enjoy baking, use measurements and fractions.
If they’re interested in Pokémon cards, compare HP, prices and collections.
If they like shopping, give them a pretend budget.
If they love science, look at measurements, graphs and experiment results.
Maths becomes much less intimidating when there’s a reason to use it.
9. Turn times tables into a game
Times tables are particularly likely to create comparisons because children often become aware of who can recall them quickly.
Games can remove some of that pressure.
Try:
- Throwing two dice and multiplying the numbers.
- Playing dice games like Yahtzee is a great way to get kids calculating in their heads.
- Times-table bingo.
- Multiplication Snap.
- Quick-fire questions in the car.
- Times table songs in the car on the school run.
- Matching questions to answers.
- Writing calculations on Post-it notes around the house.
- online times-table games.
You can also reverse the question.
Instead of:
“What is 7 × 8?”
ask:
“How many different ways can you make 56?”
Now you’re encouraging mathematical thinking rather than simply testing recall.
10. Let them see adults make mistakes
We can accidentally reinforce maths anxiety with the way we talk about our own abilities.
How often do adults say:
“I’m terrible at maths.”
“I could never do fractions.”
“Ask Dad. I can’t do numbers.”
It’s usually said jokingly, but children hear it.
Instead, let them see you work things out.
You could say:
“I’m not sure. Let’s work it out together.”
And if you make a mistake?
Even better.
Show them that getting something wrong isn’t a disaster. Check it, work out what happened and try again.
11. Don’t turn every mistake into a lesson
This is particularly important when a child’s confidence is already low.
If they incorrectly work out the change in a shop, you don’t always have to immediately correct them.
If they misread a number while playing a game, it doesn’t necessarily need to become a ten-minute teaching opportunity.
Sometimes children need to enjoy using numbers without feeling as though they’re constantly being assessed.
Choose your moments.
12. Celebrate small improvements
Confidence often comes back in tiny steps.
Perhaps your child:
- Remembers a times table they previously struggled with.
- Completes a homework sheet without becoming upset.
- Puts their hand up in maths.
- Solves a problem independently.
- Asks the teacher when they don’t understand.
- Gets one more question correct than last time.
Notice those moments.
You don’t need a huge reward.
A simple:
“You found that really difficult a few weeks ago. Look at you doing it now.”
This can help a child recognise their own progress.
13. Be careful with comparisons
One child may be brilliant at mental arithmetic. Another may be a fantastic writer. Another might draw beautifully, understand animals, build extraordinary LEGO creations, perform confidently on stage or be brilliant at sport.
Children don’t develop identical skills at identical speeds.
Comparing a child’s maths ability with a sibling, friend or classmate rarely tells us anything useful.
If you want to make a comparison, compare your child with themselves.
“Remember when you couldn’t do this last term?”
That’s a comparison worth making.
14. What should children actually be learning in primary-school maths?
It can help parents to understand that primary mathematics is much broader than doing calculations quickly.
In England, the National Curriculum describes maths as an interconnected subject and focuses on three broad aims: fluency, mathematical reasoning and problem solving.
By upper Key Stage 2 – Years 5 and 6 – children are extending their understanding of larger numbers and developing their work with multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, percentages and ratio.
They also continue developing geometry, measurement and mathematical reasoning.
So if your child doesn’t instantly know an answer, that alone doesn’t tell you whether they’re “good at maths”.
What about Year 6 and SATs?
Year 6 can make worries about maths more noticeable because children know that SATs are approaching.
In England, children normally take their end-of-Key-Stage-2 national curriculum tests in May, including a mathematics test.
But try not to let SATs dominate maths at home from September onwards.
A Year 6 child still has an entire academic year of learning and development ahead of them.
If you’d like some additional practice nearer the time, SATs question cards or practice books can help children become familiar with the style of questions.
Collins KS2 Maths SATs Question Cards
When should I be concerned about my child’s maths?
Having difficulty with maths occasionally is normal.
However, speak to your child’s teacher if the difficulty is persistent, if there’s a significant gap between maths and other subjects, or if maths is causing considerable distress.
You might also notice your child consistently struggling to understand basic number concepts despite repeated teaching.
The first step doesn’t have to be diagnosing the problem yourself. Ask the school what they’re seeing. They can explain how your child is progressing, whether additional support is appropriate and what you can do at home that complements what’s happening in the classroom.
What if my child really is behind in maths?
Being behind doesn’t mean being incapable.
Children can have gaps for all sorts of reasons, and the answer isn’t necessarily to race ahead. In fact, going back and securing an earlier concept can make later maths considerably easier.
The National Curriculum guidance itself emphasises that progression should depend on how securely children understand concepts and that pupils who aren’t sufficiently fluent with earlier material should consolidate their understanding.
That’s a much more useful way to think about maths than simply labelling a child “behind”.
Ask:
What do they understand now?
Where is the gap?
What’s the next achievable step?
Then start there.
Helping your child believe they can learn maths
Ultimately, you don’t need to convince your child that they’re secretly a mathematical genius.
That’s not the goal.
Instead, help them understand something much more useful:
Finding something difficult doesn’t mean you can’t learn it.
There will probably be areas of maths your child finds easy and others that require more effort. That’s normal.
Keep practice manageable, make numbers part of everyday life, work with their teacher and celebrate progress rather than perfection.
Most importantly, try to make home a place where it’s completely safe to get a maths question wrong.
Because sometimes the biggest step between “I’m rubbish at maths” and “I can do this” is simply being willing to have another go.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I improve my child’s confidence in maths?
Focus on progress rather than speed or perfect scores. Praise strategies, persistence and willingness to try. Short, regular practice and using maths in enjoyable real-life situations can also make the subject feel less intimidating.
Should I get my child a maths tutor?
Not necessarily. Start by talking to your child’s teacher to understand whether there is an academic gap and which areas need support. A tutor may be useful for some children, but others may simply need targeted practice, reassurance or time to consolidate a concept.
How long should my child practise maths at home?
There’s no single perfect amount. If confidence is low, short sessions can be more manageable than lengthy worksheets. Ten focused minutes that ends positively may be more useful than an hour that ends in frustration.
How can I make maths fun at home?
Use board games, cooking, shopping, pocket money, sport, building games, cards and everyday challenges involving numbers. Children can practise mathematical skills without every activity being presented as “maths practice”.
My child says everyone else is better at maths. What should I say?
Acknowledge how they feel rather than immediately dismissing it. Ask what has made them think that, remind them that speed isn’t the only measure of mathematical ability, and focus on the progress they’ve made compared with their own previous work.
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