Maths Mysteries are fun activities designed for you to do with your child at home, or for your child to do at school.

Finding your way about
The site is split into three areas, for kids, teachers and parents:

  • The pupils' area contains two mysteries, each of which contains two mysteries. There are also certificates that they can print out at the end of the activities.

  • The parents' area contains information for parents who may want to use the site at home with their children. Here you will find ideas for extension activities to support the Maths Mysteries, plus the certificates.

  • The teachers' area contains printable follow-up and extension activities for each of the challenges together with curriculum information. The certificates are repeated here.

Working on Maths Mysteries
Each Maths Mystery (found in the Kids' area) contains two online activities. The parents' extension activities are designed to be completed after children have worked on the website.

Sit with your child or group of children while they work on the activities and join in with them. Ask children to explain their reasoning - and not only when they've got the answer wrong! Children might find it helpful to have something to model their thinking with, e.g. pens to represent hundreds, tens and units.

Maths Mysteries and the National Curriculum
Maths Mysteries is written for Key Stage 2 children in England aged 7-9 and the website and worksheet activities have been designed so that children can work through them either individually, with other children or an adult whatever their ability.

The Maths Mysteries activities aim to provide children with the opportunity to apply their mathematical skills to a variety of problem-solving activities in an enjoyable and challenging way. The challenges involve children in applying skills in

  • number
  • measurement
  • shape and space
  • collecting and representing data
  • using the four operations (add, subtract, multiply, divide) and mental maths in particular.

Links to other areas of the curriculum
Although the main emphasis in the Maths Mysteries challenges is on mathematics, other areas of the National Curriculum are also touched upon.

In particular, each of the Maths Mysteries links to the National Literacy Strategy and the National Curriculum for English. This is done through:

Literacy:

  • Reading and following instructions
  • Listening to instructions
  • Explaining reasons

Communication skills

  • Working co-operatively
  • Listening to each other
  • Taking turns

In addition, both of the Maths Mysteries require children to use skills in ICT.