London - Young children who are read bedtime stories including maths topics did better at the subject at school, reveals a study
The benefits were dramatic, with those who did the most maths at bedtime being three months ahead by the end of the school year.
Researchers gave nearly 600 families tablet computers complete with one of two bedtime apps or programmes.
One of the apps contained stories featuring questions designed to test the reading comprehension of the children aged six or seven.
The other was also story-based but the questions revolved around counting, shapes and problem-solving.
The parents read the stories to their children and their ability in maths was assessed at the start and end of the school year. The more a child used the maths app, the better they did at the subject, reports the journal Science.
The free Bedtime Math app was particularly beneficial for children whose parents admitted to being scared of maths, said the academics at University of Chicago.
This fear leaves many adults afraid to broach the subject and, as a result, their youngsters underperform. The scientists said: “This intervention has the potential to be a low-cost, high-benefit method to ensure parents’ uneasiness about maths does not translate into their child’s low achievement.”
Daily Mail