Children are seemingly falling out of love with the maths subject, or perhaps they never felt an affinity with it in the first place due to anxiety around numbers.

Australian children’s maths understanding is falling (a major international study showed that between 2003 and 2012, Australian 15-year-olds’ mathematical literacy fell in absolute and relative terms).

This is a very worrying trend, especially considering that according to the IET, 203,000 people with STEM skills will be required each year to meet demand through to 2024, but it’s estimated there will be an annual shortfall of 59,000 engineering and technicians to fill these roles.

Maths Anxiety

Maths anxiety may also be carried over from parents to their offspring, which children can pick up on from a young age. Many adults also have ‘the fear’ when someone asks us to split a bill at a restaurant, or when we’re required to unexpectedly work out some mental maths at work.

So, what can parents do to stop their kids being part of the general downturn and ensure their own possible anxiety for numbers isn’t passed onto their children?

Gamification could hold the answer in unlocking a child’s ability to have a better grasp of maths, helping to build a stronger relationship with the subject from an early age.

Gamification May Be The Answer

Gamification in learning operates on the assumption that the high level of engagement gamers experience can be brought into educational contexts with the goal of facilitating learning. We’re not talking about general video games here, which parents may deem as ‘bad’ screen-time, but instead harnessing this heightened engagement for good. This is the central mission of educational based gamification and the ethos of maths-based learning resource Matific.

The company’s newly-launched in-home resource, Matific Galaxy, is an innovative game-based learning program, designed by education professors and curriculum experts, which parents and children can download on desktop and now also via android and iOS devices.

Through exciting and innovative games, which feature creatively engaging situations, from outer space to under the sea, children are taught maths skills without fear or anxiety. This provides a beneficial supplement to in-school learning, particularly given that maths anxiety is a phenomenon now documented in children as young as five years old. [1]

In eliminating this, Matific Galaxy helps put your child in the best position possible to thrive from kindy to year 6. The intelligent gamification of learning which it utilises means that within the Matific universe, maths and gaming are intrinsically linked, making the program the perfect balance between rich mathematical content and fun, engaging games.

Matific activities are aligned to the national curriculum and have been proven to help boost performance at school. It’s a real no-brainer for parents who want to give their children that extra helping hand, without the pressure of extra class time or forking out for an expensive tutor.

From addition to long division, and fractions to statistics, Matific Galaxy gives kids the necessary tools to master a host of topics. Through a seemingly simple app, parents can ensure that learning isn’t falling behind where it should be – and kids can have fun at the same time!

Matific Galaxy is available to download now on all iOS devices, from either Google Play:  or via the App store

[1] Ramirez, G., Gunderson, E., Levine, S., and Beilock, S. (2013). Math Anxiety, Working Memory and Math Achievement in Early Elementary School. Journal of Cognition and Development. 14 (2): 187–202.