Halloween math word problems are a great way to introduce some fun into practicing math for children of all ages. Not only are they fun, they also teach children how to read with comprehension because they have to read and scan for facts that need to be taken from the text. What follows is a selection of math word problems gathered on paper writing services that can be used to add some fun into lessons at home or in the classroom. Do not worry if the math may look too elementary, the purpose is to enjoy the reading, as well as the math. Mummies and Bats "It was a dark wet, Halloween night as Mary was walking through the cemetery. There were five mummies inside and they were all howling into the air. She also saw three bats flying across the moonlit sky. How many mummies and bats did she count before she turned and ran?" You can make this suitable for older children by asking, "How many eyes did she see?" Ghost House Party You can make a simple math challenge more difficult by increasing the numbers like this. "Jim had a number of ghosts visiting his house last Halloween for a Halloween party. There were fifteen friendly ghosts to start with. As the evening wore on, seven unfriendly ones arrived. It felt very crowded, how many ghosts were there altogether?" Vampire Bats or Vampires and Bats You can add extra layers of interest for children by looking for chances to play with words. These math words are about vampires and bats but not vampire bats, so make some fun out of pointing it out like this. "There are three bats flapping around playing tennis and they are joined by four vampires. How many vampire bats does that make?" Then wait to see if any children make the mistake. When is a Head Not a Head Trying to trick children out is a fantastic way of making sure they focus hard and pay attention to Halloween math problems. Try this one out for size. "There was a scary headless horseman chasing nine frightened kids when he rounded up ten more. How many heads did that make altogether." The children will have great delight in telling you it is nineteen, but the correct answer is twenty because they will forget to count the horse. Trick or Treating Witches and Vampires Children need to be able to perform simple subtraction in their heads. Special occasions are a good chance to practice some simple skills so you should remember to use subtraction in your Halloween math word problems. This is a simple problem that they should enjoy. "There were nine silly witches and vampires trick or treating. All they wanted was to play tricks, but because they were silly, everyone gave them treats. In the end, the witches went home and left three vampires. How many witches were there?" Eyeing the Eyeball If you are asking children to perform slightly more difficult math mentally, keep the numbers as simple as you can. This is a good example that needs simple multiplication, as well as addition. It is made easier because the total number is less than ten. "Two one-eyed goblins were playing eyeball with three goblins with two eyes. How many eyes were playing eyeball?" Math problems can be made fun by wrapping them in language associated with particular themes. Halloween math word problems are a good way of keeping a child interested in math as they introduce an element of fun into things and are also an effective way of introducing children to the importance of listening carefully. They can make a useful way of introducing them to mental arithmetic skills that mean they have to perform calculations without pencil and paper.
