How can I explain decimals to kids?

Answer 1

Get physical!

Sheets of white paper. Count them: 1,2,3,4 and so on.

Sheets of white paper. Cut into ten pieces. Colour them red. Count them: 1,2,3,4 and so on.

Show three sheets of white paper and two pieces of red paper: "three point two". Write 3.2

And so on. Later, show them how to add:

3.4+2.2= 5.6

And so on. Later, show them how to add:

3.8+4.4= Oh wow, you've got 12 red pieces! Let's trade ten of them for one whole sheet.

Sheets of white paper. Cut into a hundred pieces. Colour them blue.

And so on.

Remember the decimal point shows us where the whole numbers end and we have to start counting the little pieces.