Out of all the core subjects, math often gives kids the most anxiety. And that anxiety can kick off a vicious cycle: the worse they think they are at math, the worse they perform. So how do we retrain their brains to approach it with a sense of fun instead of terror? Well, one option is finding exciting ways to incorporate it in to their everyday routines. Outside of the classroom (and the threat of dreaded testing), kids have a chance to relax and realize that math can actually be really fun.

3 Ways to Incorporate Math into Your Child’s Everyday Life

1. Play “Name the Shapes You See”. Whether you’re sitting in your living room at home or out and about on the sidewalk, playing “name the shapes you see” with your kids can better familiarize them with important forms in their everyday lives, from an octagonal Stop Sign to a rectangular T.V.

2. Bake with your kids. Give your kids a tangible sense of fractions by asking them to help measure ingredients. In need of something a little more advanced? Ask your kids to help you halve or double the recipe in question.

• Recommended recipe: The Mom 100 Cookbook‘s Fudgy One-Pot Brownies

3. Count steps as you walk. Walk to school every day? See how high your kids can count. Then, keep a running tally of how many steps it takes each day for two weeks to form a lesson on mean, median, and modes!

See? That wasn’t so scary. If you have other ways you like to incorporate math into your kids’ lives, please leave a comment below!