I was fortunate growing up to have some really great math teachers. They always kept the learning aspect fun. That, and I come from a math family. We have engineers, chemists, etc. So, math was one of the subjects I loved and still enjoy. However…
Some kids (and adults) do not like math.
At all!
A lot of parents in the homeschooling group that I’m a part of have released a lot of venting on the troubles they’ve faced getting their kids motivated enough to work on their math. It can be a challenge, understandably. That is one reason I am so thankful for the wonderful teachers that reminded me that math can be, and is, fun. So, I’ve been doing some brainstorming about tricks, games, and other fun ways to bring excitement back to the thunderous dungeons of math.
This simple craft is simply that: simple.
It’s an easy way to turn math problems into a delicious treat. If your child is young and still learning their numbers, let them help make the numbers. How much more excited will they be to see their number ‘creations’ before feasting on their yumminess? Already know their numbers? Make math problems where they have to find the right numbers to solve them.
The problems can range from simple such as the ones above or more complex.
And the best part will be your kids getting excited about eating their triumphant, correct answer.
So, how do you make chocolate numbers?
The first part needs to be melting and tempering the chocolate. Tempering chocolate is important, because it keeps the chocolate from getting that crumbly, white-blotchy affect, a.k.a. bloom. There’s nothing wrong with the chocolate as far as eating goes, but, aesthetically, tempering keeps chocolate looking creamy and delicious.
What you’ll need:
- 1 1⁄3 cup chocolate
- bowl – one that can safely be heated, so I don’t recommend plastic if using a double boiler
- plastic sandwich bag
- cup, optional
- scissors
- parchment paper
Start with one cup of chocolate. I do a mix of semi-sweet and milk, but any will do. Pour it in the bowl and place over a double boiler. Melt the chocolate down and stir until creamy.
Add the remained 1⁄3 cup of chocolate and stir well until completely creamy.
You will, then, transfer the chocolate to the plastic bag. I recommend pressing the bag into the cup to make it easier to fill. Like so:
Once the bag is filled, lay out a sheet of parchment paper on a flat surface. With the scissors, snip a small corner off of the plastic bag and start drawing.
Once done, I slide the parchment paper onto a cutting board and set the chocolate in the fridge to harden. It really is as simple as that. You’ll have lots of chocolate numbers to make math fun. This is also great for kids learning their letters, too.
