Maths on Toast ‘Bites’ – showing how maths is creative, fun and for everyone.

Maths on Toast – the family maths charity – today launches ‘Bites’, a series of short ‘How To’ creative maths videos presented by children aged between 8 and 11. Aimed at primary school children and their families, our group of enthusiastic ‘maths advocates’ demonstrates a range of fun, hands-on maths activities that families can try together.

The 5 short films, along with accompanying activity instructions, are available on Maths on Toast’s website www.mathsontoast.org.uk/bites

Maths on Toast’s mission is to promote positive attitudes to maths.

Bites will broaden children and their families’ view of what and where maths is, and show that maths can be creative, family fun. An instruction sheet for the activities demonstrated in each film will be available to download. Families can try them together at home – they could also be used in school or community settings. Trying them, enjoying them, and being aware that this is maths, will change the whole family’s perception of maths; learning together through play and discovery will increase confidence and create positive memories of maths.

Bites was developed in partnership with The Winch children’s charity and youth centre, and funded by the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851.

45 children from The Winch took part in the films, which were directed by Sebastian Thiel at Upshot Entertainment.

Participation in fun, creative, interactive maths activities and being given the time and space to explore mathematical concepts helps build positive experiences – the first step towards changing attitudes towards maths and addressing maths anxiety. Defined as a debilitating emotional reaction to maths, maths anxiety can reduce confidence, motivation and achievement in maths and is a difficulty that can be passed through generations of families or even passed on in the classroom (Carey, Devine, Hill, Dowker, McLellan & Szucs 2019, Understanding Mathematics Anxiety: Investigating the experiences of UK primary and secondary school students).

Lucy Davis, CEO, Maths on Toast “Maths on Toast Bites illustrate perfectly that ‘maths is everywhere and for everyone’. The films show fun, creative, hands-on activities that we hope will be shared far and wide to inspire children and their families to look at maths in a different light and explore the many possibilities that maths has to offer. The enjoyment of maths in its many forms provides the first step to creating a positive attitude to maths that can help counter maths anxiety and a lack of confidence in maths.”

Rashid Iqbal, CEO, The Winch “Maths on Toast is showing that children love to learn when learning is child-centred, and that we can nurture an intrinsic joy to mastering maths. I am always delighted to see projects in action that assert the value of informal education and champion the principles of community-driven pedagogical practices.”

Sebastian Thiel, Founder, Upshot Entertainment “Working with Maths on Toast and the young people was beyond amazing! All of the young people were fully engaged and found every maths game and activity extremely fun. As someone who hated maths growing up, I was astonished to see how fun maths can be, especially for young people.”