Guide · read this with your child
Fractions for Kids: The Simple Explanation
A fraction is a number for part of something. The bottom number says how many equal parts the whole is cut into. The top number says how many of those parts you have. So 3/4 of a pie means the pie was cut into 4 equal slices and you've got 3 of them.
What do the numbers mean?
The bottom number is called the denominator. A good way to remember it: d for down. It tells you how many equal parts the whole has. The top number is the numerator. It counts how many parts you've got. In 2/5, the whole has 5 equal parts and you have 2.
The parts must be equal
If you cut a cake into one huge piece and one tiny piece, that's two pieces, but neither one is a half. Fractions only work when every part is the same size. That's why fair sharing is the best way to think about them: everyone gets the same.
Fractions are everywhere
Half a sandwich. A quarter past three. Three quarters of a cup of flour. A half-time whistle. Half a tank of gas. Try counting how many fractions you hear in a day. You'll be surprised how often grown-ups use them without noticing.
How to do it with Fraction Bakery
- Look at a few fractions on the fraction wall. Start with 1/2 and 1/4.
- Play Fraction Bakery. The first levels start with one slice of pie.
- Print a shade the pie sheet and try it with crayons.
- Bake something together and let your child measure the half cups and quarter cups.
Try it now: free, no signup
Free to play · no signup · works on phones, tablets and computers
Questions people ask
How do you explain fractions to a child?
Share something real. Cut a sandwich into equal pieces and ask how much each person gets. Name the pieces (halves, thirds, quarters) before showing any numbers.
What age do kids learn fractions?
Kids usually meet halves and quarters around ages 6 and 7, and start writing fractions around 8. In US Common Core, fractions as numbers begin in 3rd grade.
Take the bakery with you, soon
A Fraction Bakery app for iPhone is on the way. The plan: offline play for the car, a parent report of which fractions have stuck, and the full bakery shelf of prizes. Until then, the whole game is free right here.
Coming soon on theApp Store