The short answer: make fractions something your child can see and hold before they become something written on paper. Cut, share and compare real things, and ask your child to explain what they did.
1. Start with sharing, not symbols
A fraction is a fair share. Before your child writes 1/4, let them cut an orange, a loaf or a sheet of paper into four equal pieces and take one. Ask: "How many pieces did we cut it into? How many did you take?" The bottom number is how many equal pieces, the top number is how many you have.
The word that matters is equal. If the pieces are different sizes, they are not quarters. Children who skip this step often think 1/4 means "one of four bits", whatever their size.
2. Show why a bigger number can mean a smaller piece
Children are used to bigger numbers meaning more, so 1/8 looking "bigger" than 1/4 is a common mistake. Fold one sheet of paper into 4 and an identical sheet into 8, then put one piece of each side by side. Ask: "Would you rather share a cake with 3 friends or with 7?"
3. Find equal fractions in the kitchen
Cut a piece of bread in half, then cut each half in half again. Your child can see that one half is the same as two quarters. This is the idea behind equivalent fractions and simplifying, which come up again and again through primary and secondary school.
4. Use money
Money makes fractions of amounts real. "Half of ₦1,000 is how much? What about a quarter?" Later, the same idea becomes percentages: 50% is a half, 25% is a quarter. A child who already links these three ideas has a head start in upper primary.
5. Ask "how did you get that?"
When your child does fractions homework, ask them to talk you through one question, even when the answer is right. Explaining a method out loud is how a child finds out whether they really understand it, and it shows you where they are guessing.
Mistakes to watch for
- Adding the bottoms. Writing 1/2 + 1/4 = 2/6. Go back to the paper: half a sheet and a quarter of a sheet is three quarters, not two sixths.
- Unequal pieces. Drawing a circle split into "quarters" of different sizes.
- Bigger bottom, bigger fraction. Thinking 1/10 is more than 1/2.
- Following a rule without the reason. "Flip and multiply" learned by heart, with no idea when to use it.
When to get extra help
If your child is in upper primary and still finds simple fractions confusing, or gets upset at fractions homework, it is worth having a teacher look at their working. The problem is often an earlier idea, such as division or times tables, rather than fractions themselves. A maths assessment is a good way to find out which.