Dyscalculia: what it is and exercises to practise at home
If you've made it this far, it's probably because numbers "get the better of" your child or pupil in a way that doesn't quite match what you see in other subjects. This article calmly explains what dyscalculia is, what signs usually come with it (without meaning to diagnose anything) and several concrete dyscalculia exercises you can practise at home, organized by age.
What this guide covers
What dyscalculia is, explained calmly
Dyscalculia is a specific learning difficulty related to numbers and calculation. It has nothing to do with the child's intelligence or how hard they try: it's a difference in how their brain processes quantities, number sequences or basic operations. You could say it is to maths what dyslexia is to reading: a specific, well-defined difficulty that, with the right support, can be trained and compensated for very well.
And, like dyslexia, it's more common than it seems. According to several studies compiled by discalculia.com, dyscalculia affects between 3% and 8% of the school-age population, a figure similar to that of dyslexia and ADHD. If there's a child at home or in your classroom who "just can't take in" numbers no matter how much they revise, it's not an isolated case or a matter of effort.
Common signs (this is not a diagnosis)
As always when we talk about learning difficulties, this list is only a guide. It is not a diagnostic tool and no child needs to show all of these signs to have dyscalculia, nor does showing one on its own mean they have it.
- Difficulty counting correctly and accurately, even with small quantities and after lots of practice.
- Difficulty comparing quantities: they struggle to tell at a glance which group has more or fewer items.
- Difficulty associating the number with the quantity it represents (for example, understanding that "5" means five real objects).
- Confusion with mathematical signs, such as swapping the plus and minus symbols, or not remembering what each one indicates.
If several of these signs feel familiar and persist over time, the most useful thing is not to keep searching online, but to talk to your child's teacher and, if appropriate, a professional (paediatrician, educational psychologist or speech and language therapist) who can assess the specific case.
Practical exercises to do at home, by age
These are support exercises designed to practise for 10 to 15 minutes, with materials you probably already have at home: objects to count, paper and a little shared patience.
Ages 5 to 7: counting and sharing
Sharing out with real examples. Take a handful of biscuits (or chickpeas, or building blocks) and ask the child to share them equally among several soft toys or family members. Actually sharing, with objects you can touch, helps far more than doing it only on paper.
Associating number with quantity. Write a number on a card and ask the child to place that exact quantity of buttons or pebbles on top. Then the other way round: count a group of objects and find the card with the matching number.
Ages 8 to 10: sequences and comparisons
Ordering from largest to smallest. Write several numbers on separate cards (for example, 34, 12, 58, 7) and ask the child to put them in order from largest to smallest, explaining out loud why one number is bigger than another.
Completing the missing sequence. Write a sequence with a gap, like 2, 4, __, 8, 10, and ask which number is missing and why. Start with simple sequences (counting by 1s, by 2s) before making them more complex.
Ages 11 to 13: calculation with visual support
Sharing with a remainder, in a real context. Set up a sharing task that doesn't come out exactly (for example, sharing 17 biscuits among 4 friends) and let them use real objects or drawings to work out how many each one gets and how many are left over, before moving on to doing it with numbers alone.
Number sequences with operations. Work on slightly more complex sequences (for example, subtracting by 3s from 50) and ask them to complete them using a drawn number line, not just mentally.
A tip that applies at any age: whatever the age, it's best to always use visual, hands-on examples (objects, drawings, cards) before moving on to abstract numbers. Seeing and touching the quantity helps far more than memorizing the symbol.
When dyscalculia coexists with dyslexia or ADHD
It's common for dyscalculia not to appear on its own. According to the same studies, around a quarter of cases coexist with dyslexia or ADHD, which makes sense: they share mechanisms of attention, working memory and symbolic processing. This doesn't complicate the outlook, but it does help explain why difficulties with numbers sometimes appear alongside difficulties with reading or with sustaining attention on a long task.
Precisely because many families were asking us for it, at Zubibook we have expanded our catalogue to include dyscalculia too, with workbooks adjusted by age and language, just as we already did with dyslexia, ADHD and autism.
This article offers general information and support activities. Zubibook is not a healthcare provider or an accredited educational institution: it does not replace the diagnosis or follow-up of a professional. If you have any doubt about a child's development, consult a specialist.
Remember: the activities in this guide are for general reinforcement. They do not replace the assessment of a speech and language therapist, educational psychologist or paediatrician, who is the one who can guide the specific case of your child or pupil.
Next step
If these exercises have been useful to you, the natural next step is to have a complete workbook that combines several of them, already adjusted to the age, language and exact level of your child or pupil, without having to prepare it yourself from scratch every week. At Zubibook you can generate one in minutes and download it as a print-ready PDF.
Create a dyscalculia workbook tailored to your child
Choose age, difficulty and language and generate a print-ready PDF activity workbook in minutes.