Ditch the Worksheets: How to Make Maths Fun This Summer (And Still Prepare for 11+ & 13+)

Summer is a time when kids want freedom, adventure, and sunshine—not another stack of dull revision worksheets. And yet, as parents, it’s hard to ignore the pressure of upcoming 11+ or 13+ entrance exams.

So what’s the answer? How do we keep children engaged with maths over the summer—without burnout, nagging, or power struggles?

As an education consultant, I work with families every year who face this exact challenge. And I’ve found that the most effective approach is also the most joyful:

🎲 Play-based learning🌍 Real-world problem solving🧩 Creative thinking challenges

When maths becomes part of everyday life—not just something from a workbook—children learn better, retain more, and approach numbers with far more confidence. And yes, it can still support strong performance in 11+ and 13+ assessments.

Here’s how you can make this summer count (and feel nothing like school).

🎲 1. Play Your Way Through Maths

Games are incredibly powerful learning tools. They involve logic, probability, decision-making, and mental calculations—exactly the kind of brain training your child needs for entrance exams. And better still? Children are naturally motivated to play, not “revise”.

🧠 Why it works:

• Encourages quick thinking and mental maths

• Boosts resilience (losing a round and trying again!)

• Gives parents a chance to model strategic thinking

🎯 Game ideas for different ages:

🧒 Ages 6–9 (Key Stage 1/early Key Stage 2):

• Sum Swamp – Addition, subtraction, odd/even awareness

• Shut the Box – Great for mental addition

• Uno with a Twist – Try “Maths Uno”: before placing a card, your child must solve a maths challenge based on the card’s number or colour

👦 Ages 9–13 (11+/13+ prep age):

• Prime Climb – Combines colour, strategy, and multiplication mastery

• 24 Game – Mental arithmetic using 4 numbers to make 24 (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)

• Mathsopoly (downloadable) – A fun spin on Monopoly with maths questions

📱 2. Turn Screen Time into Brain Time

Most children will spend time on tablets or laptops over the summer—why not make part of that time educational and fun?

🧠 Why it works:

• Interactive formats build focus and engagement

• Adaptive apps adjust to your child’s level

• Great for independent learning while parents work or travel

📲 Top maths apps:

• DragonBox (Ages 4–12) – Master number sense and algebra in a beautiful, story-driven app

• Prodigy – Adventure-style game aligned with school curriculum

• Kahoot! – Build your own timed quizzes on topics like fractions, times tables, or reasoning

• Matific Galaxy – Short problem-solving games with visual learning aids

💡 Parent tip: Instead of unlimited screen time, build in a daily “brain game” block—10 to 15 minutes is plenty. Reward effort, not speed.

🧩 3. Strengthen Logic & Reasoning with Puzzles

One area parents often feel unsure about during 11+ and 13+ prep is non-verbal reasoning. It’s not something most schools teach directly—and yet, it’s a key exam component.

Luckily, you can build these skills at home through puzzle play.

🔍 Puzzles that prepare:

• Tangrams – Spatial reasoning, geometry, visual problem solving

• Logic grid puzzles – “If Sam is older than Ella but younger than Mia...” = perfect for verbal reasoning!

• KenKen & Sudoku – Build flexible thinking and number fluency

• NRICH Tasks – Rich, open-ended maths puzzles from Cambridge University (nrich.maths.org)

💡 Combine puzzles with a small journal or notebook where your child can draw out thinking steps and solutions. This improves exam technique, too!

🍽️ 4. Make Maths Real (Because It Is!)

The most powerful form of learning happens when children see that maths is part of real life, not just something in a book.

🎯 Real-life ideas:

• Cooking – Measure ingredients, convert units, divide recipes

• Travel planning – Use maps, time zones, or mileage calculations

• Shopping – Estimate totals, calculate discounts, budget for family outings

• DIY projects – Measuring wood, figuring out angles, calculating area/volume

These experiences are rich with problem-solving opportunities and show children that maths is useful, practical, and empowering.

🏕️ 5. Design a Summer Maths Adventure

Why not go all in and create a fun family challenge or weekly Maths Treasure Hunt?

Each clue can include a problem-solving question:

“Find something in the kitchen that has a volume of more than 500ml.”“Solve this riddle to unlock your next clue: I’m a number greater than 30 but less than 40. I’m divisible by both 3 and 4.”

🧙‍♀️ You can theme it:

• Secret Agent Maths Mission

• Wizard School Number Challenges

• Pirates & Puzzles

• Escape Room Challenge: solve maths riddles to “break free”

Not only does this build core skills in a memorable way, it gives your child something fun to look forward to—especially if there's a little prize at the end!

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Helping Parents Find the Balance

We know it’s not always easy. You're juggling work, childcare, holiday plans—and maybe even a bit of anxiety about your child’s upcoming school transition.

That’s why our goal at U.K. Independent Education is to make learning feel manageable and meaningful. Whether you’re applying for selective schools, preparing for the 11+ or 13+, or just want to keep the spark alive during the summer, we’re here to help.

Our support includes:

• Tailored summer prep plans

• Weekly activity suggestions

• Advice on balancing academics and downtime

• Recommendations for age-appropriate resources

• Interview and reasoning prep for 11+ and 13+

📌 Remember: The goal isn’t to race ahead, it’s to build confidence, flexibility, and joy—and that comes through doing a little bit, every day, in a way that makes sense for your child.