6 Amazing Advantages of Learning Abacus for Kids

An underrated skill that can exponentially enhance your kid's mathematical abilities, abacus learning has become an essential part of school education. While it may not be incorporated into the curriculums of most schools, enrolling your child in a course can help their overall analytical development. The ancient calculating tool has no known origin but was used all over Europe, Russia and even China. It has various forms originating from various regions but often the method of operation remains the same. Today, computers and smartphones have definitely sidelined the tool but there are still many advantages of learning abacus for kids.

What is an abacus?
To start with, an abacus is an ancient mathematical counting tool. It consists of two rows of movable beads added to about 10-13 columns. The specific uses of an abacus surround mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. Moreover, this tool is equipped to help kids perform calculations involving fractions and even operations to find square or cube roots of numbers. It is particularly useful for children who have visual impairments and may find it difficult to use calculators or notebooks. While there are several different types of abacus such as the Chinese Suan-Pan or the Russian Schoty, the Japanese Sorobon is most popularly used in India.

Apart from this, a commonly asked question is, “how many levels are there in abacus learning?”. Generally, the levels in an abacus learning course are divided based on the mathematical operation to be learnt. Hence, there are 8 to 12 levels in an abacus learning course - addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, percentage, square, square root, cube, cube root and LCM/HCM. However, this varies with each institution and can be further divided based on different age groups.

Benefits of abacus for kids
The primary advantage of learning an abacus is that it improves mathematical and analytical competence in a kid. While they start out physically using the tool, over time it makes them capable of performing mental mathematical calculations. Here are 6 known advantages of abacus learning.

Increases Focus
Using an abacus is a highly demanding task and requires the child to fully concentrate on using the tool. In the process of mastering it, they end up improving their concentration. Primarily this is because understanding how the tool works requires patience and focus. They need to drown out all noise and distraction so they can eventually become capable of mentally executing the same operations. This can encourage them to stay focused and block out all distractions throughout their lives.

Improved Memory
The goal of learning an abacus is to create a mental visualisation of the tool in your mind. This way you don't have to carry it around and can perform mathematical operations easily. When kids learn how to use an abacus, they are also honing their memory and retention skills. They don't just develop better comprehension but could also enhance their photographic memories.

Faster Calculations
Modern-day competitive exams are tough, especially when it comes to the time given to complete them. When it comes to preparing for them, an abacus can really aid in improving the speed of their calculations. This will save them a lot of time that can be used to find solutions to other complicated problems.

Enhanced Motor Skills
Abacus learning requires skilful hand-eye coordination. In most abacus classes for kids, this aspect is developed over time through rigorous practice. This is especially beneficial to younger kids since it is much easier for them to grasp complicated tasks. If they pick up this skill at a young age, it can really benefit them in the long run.

Better Analytical Skills
Problem-solving is an acquired skill - it cannot be developed overnight. However, it is crucial to hone it if your child wants to attempt the various competitive exams. Thanks to the dexterity it instils in children, the abacus can easily ameliorate their problem-solving skills. As they continue solving newer problems by experimenting with formulas, it strengthens their groundwork encouraging them to be more apt at picking the best solutions.

Keener Observations
Since working with an abacus improves a child's concentration, this can consequently enhance their observational skills too. As they look out for the best way to reach a solution, they learn to assess the available data thoroughly. This not only makes them quick and efficient but also better listeners and observers that don't miss a single detail.

A lot of parents and students are still uninformed about what is abacus in maths. The efficient tool and the many benefits its learning offers keep getting obscure day by day. Regardless, it is no secret that abacus learning can boost your child's analytical and mathematical skills, especially if they do not seem to like maths. It makes mathematical operations faster and easier while also subsequently refining your kid's observational and motor skills and improving their memory.