The Science Behind Multisensory Learning and Why It Works
- Susan Ardila
- Jan 17
- 13 min read
Updated: Sep 10
Table of Contents:
Multisensory Math Strategies That Build Confidence & Skill
You’ve tried everything to help your child with math—flashcards, extra worksheets, even the latest educational apps. Yet, each session seems to end the same way: frustration for them and guilt for you. Sound familiar? The problem isn’t that your child isn’t capable or that you’re not trying hard enough. The real issue might be the way their brain is being asked to learn.
For kids with learning differences like dyscalculia or ADHD, conventional teaching feels like trying to tune into a radio station with the wrong frequency. And even neurotypical kids can hit a wall when math is all symbols, no substance. That’s where multisensory learning comes in—a brain-based approach that brings math to life through sight, sound, touch, and movement.
Imagine your child learning fractions by slicing a real pizza... or practicing multiplication by clapping along to a rhythm that sticks in their head better than any flashcard ever could. Multisensory math isn’t just more engaging—it’s more effective. And it’s backed by neuroscience. It’s a game-changer for parents who are tired of watching their kids struggle—and a simple shift that could make a world of difference in how your child sees math (and themselves).
In this guide, we’ll break down the science of multisensory learning, explore how it supports different kinds of thinkers, and give you research-driven strategies you can use today—whether you're a parent looking for real help at home or an educator searching for tools that actually work. Ready to ditch the frustration and rebuild your child’s math confidence? Let’s go.
What Is Multisensory Learning?
Multisensory learning transforms abstract math into something students can see, feel, hear, and move through—making it real, relatable, and memorable.
Think about teaching a child to ride a bike using only a written manual. No practice runs. No training wheels. Just pages of instructions and a “good luck!” That’s what traditional math instruction feels like for many kids—especially those with learning differences.
Multisensory learning flips that on its head. Instead of relying on a single input (usually visual), it activates multiple sensory channels simultaneously—like touch, movement, sound, and sight—to strengthen understanding. This could mean building numbers out of blocks, stepping along a giant number line, or singing skip-counting songs while clapping out the rhythm.
Why does this work? Because it mirrors how the brain is naturally wired to learn. Neuroscience shows that engaging more than one sense at a time increases cognitive processing, memory, and retention—especially when learning something challenging or unfamiliar. You’re not just teaching math; you’re laying down rich, interconnected neural pathways that make it stick.
For kids who struggle with focus, memory, or abstract thinking (hello, ADHD and dyscalculia), this approach isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. But it’s not only for students with diagnosed learning differences. Whether your child is in kindergarten or Algebra 2, multisensory learning gives their brain more entry points, more meaning, and more confidence.
Bottom line? When students can interact with math in ways that make sense to them—whether through movement, rhythm, visuals, or hands-on tools—they begin to believe they can do it. That’s the moment confidence starts to take root.
The Science Behind Multisensory Learning
Every child learns differently. Some need to see it. Others need to move, hear, build, sing, or touch it. You’ve probably heard this before—but the real question is: why does learning look so different from one child to the next?
The answer lies in how the brain processes, stores, and retrieves information. And that’s exactly why multisensory learning works so well. It taps into the brain’s natural learning systems—activating multiple regions at once—to build stronger, longer-lasting neural connections. Think of it as whole-brain learning, not just worksheet learning.
Let’s unpack how it works.
How the Brain Learns Best
Imagine your child’s brain as a map of highways. Every time they learn something new, their brain builds a road to store that information. If they’re only reading or listening? That road is more like a bumpy backroad—it’s harder to follow, easier to forget.
But when you engage multiple senses—let’s say your child is listening to a rhythm while touching manipulatives and seeing the problem visually—you’re building a multi-lane expressway. Now the brain has multiple entry points and faster, more reliable routes to recall what was learned.
And this isn’t just metaphor. Brain imaging studies show that multisensory learning activates more areas of the brain simultaneously—including the visual cortex (for sight), auditory cortex (for sound), and motor cortex (for movement). These cross-modal connections enhance working memory, executive functioning, and long-term retention.
Put simply: the more senses involved, the more solid the learning becomes. This is especially critical in math, where concepts can feel abstract or disconnected for many students.
The Role of Neuroplasticity
Multisensory learning doesn’t just help students learn—it helps them rewire how they learn. That’s thanks to neuroplasticity: the brain’s powerful ability to adapt, grow, and form new pathways throughout life.
This matters deeply for students with learning differences. A child with dyscalculia, for example, might struggle to connect symbols to meaning. But when they use their hands to group objects, trace numbers, or build visual models, they’re activating alternative routes in the brain—ones that help bypass areas of difficulty.
Students with ADHD benefit too. When their learning includes movement, rhythm, and interaction, it becomes easier to focus, sustain attention, and retain what they’ve learned. Jumping along a number line? That’s not just fun—it’s neurologically strategic.
Multisensory learning gives all brains—especially those that process differently—more chances to succeed.
Why It Works for All Ages
This isn’t just an early childhood strategy. Multisensory learning continues to be powerful well into middle and high school.
Older students learning algebra might use colored pens to differentiate terms in an equation, sketch graphs to see patterns, or build 3D models of geometric concepts. They might solve a system of equations while moving through each step on a whiteboard—physically working through the problem as they talk it out.
No matter the age or grade, the science stays the same: when learning is multi-sensory, it’s more engaging, more memorable, and more effective.
Multisensory learning isn’t a gimmick or a trend—it’s a science-backed approach grounded in how the brain is wired to learn. And for students who have been labeled “behind,” “unmotivated,” or “not trying hard enough,” it offers something they may not have felt in a long time: success.
How Multisensory Learning Transforms K–12 Math Success
Multisensory learning isn’t just a fun classroom trick—it’s a research-supported approach that gives every student a fighting chance to truly understand math.
For many students, math instruction delivered through traditional methods—like textbook problems, teacher lectures, or silent practice—isn’t just ineffective. It’s discouraging. But when we bring in sight, sound, movement, and touch? Suddenly, abstract concepts become real. Students can interact with math in a way that finally makes sense.
Whether your child is in elementary school or gearing up for Algebra II, multisensory learning offers something powerful: access. Let’s look at how this method meets the needs of all learners, with a special emphasis on those with learning differences.
🎯 Meeting All Learning Styles with Multisensory Math
Every student has a preferred sensory "entry point" for learning. Some need to see it. Others need to hear it, move through it, or feel it in their hands. Multisensory math combines these approaches, so students don’t have to fit the method—the method fits them.
Here’s what this can look like in action:
🟣 Visual learners benefit from color-coded steps, diagrams, and visual models. For example, color-coding each step in a multi-step equation can help them track the flow of logic.
🔊 Auditory learners thrive with songs, chants, or call-and-response techniques. Multiplication tables set to music? Yes, please.
✋ Kinesthetic learners absorb information through physical interaction—like building arrays with blocks or stepping through a number line.
By combining these strategies, you’re not just teaching to a learning style—you’re reinforcing concepts through multiple sensory pathways. This boosts both comprehension and recall, giving every student a firmer grip on math concepts.
🧠 Supporting Students with Learning Differences
For neurodiverse learners—especially those with dyscalculia, ADHD, or dyslexia—multisensory math isn’t just helpful. It’s often essential.
These students may struggle with symbolic reasoning, working memory, or sustained attention, making traditional math instruction frustrating at best and impossible at worst. Multisensory strategies help bypass those roadblocks.
🧩 Dyscalculia:
Numbers can feel meaningless or slippery. But hands-on tools—like counters, number bonds, or pie models—ground math in something the student can see and touch.
Try this: Instead of explaining “1/2 + 1/4,” use real pizza slices or fraction tiles. Let the child physically combine the pieces and see the result.
⚡ ADHD:
Focus and engagement are constant challenges. Multisensory math allows movement, rhythm, and interaction to support learning without forcing stillness.
Try this: Have your student jump or step along a number line as they solve problems. It channels energy while reinforcing spatial awareness and sequencing.
🔠 Dyslexia:
Written instructions and symbolic language can be overwhelming. But tactile and auditory cues make learning more accessible.
Try this: Invite your child to trace numbers in sand or shaving cream while saying them aloud. This builds auditory-visual-motor integration, which strengthens retention.
💪 Restoring Confidence & Reducing Math Anxiety
Struggling with math doesn’t just hurt grades—it can crush confidence. Kids who feel “bad at math” often begin to internalize those struggles, leading to anxiety, resistance, or a fixed mindset around learning.
Multisensory learning changes that story.
By breaking down concepts in concrete, manageable ways, students experience quick wins—moments of clarity that prove, “Hey, I can do this.”
Each successful moment:
Builds self-trust
Lowers frustration
Sparks curiosity
Encourages risk-taking in learning
And those small wins add up. Over time, your child begins to approach math with less fear and more determination. That shift in mindset is often the real breakthrough—not just in academics, but in how they see themselves as learners.
Whether your child is ahead of the curve or struggling to keep up, multisensory math levels the playing field. It meets learners where they are, adapts to how they think, and gives them tools to succeed in school—and beyond.
Practical Examples for Home and the Classroom
You don’t need a fancy curriculum, a big budget, or even a teaching degree to start using multisensory strategies. With just a few household items—or things already in your classroom—you can make math more engaging, more concrete, and way less frustrating for students.
Below are simple, effective ideas to help parents and educators bring multisensory math to life. Each activity taps into two or more senses, reinforcing brain connections that make math stick.
🏡 For Parents: Easy Multisensory Math Activities at Home
🍽️ Fraction Pizza Party
🖐️ Tactile | 👁️ Visual | 🎵 Optional AuditoryUse a real or paper pizza to explore fractions. Cut into halves, thirds, fourths—then rearrange, compare, and add them. Want to make it musical? Chant the fractions as you go.
🎲 DIY Number Bond Bingo
🖐️ Tactile | 🎵 Auditory | 👁️ VisualCreate bingo cards with number bonds (e.g., 5 = 2 + __). Call out parts and have your child use dried beans or coins to cover the answer.
🏃 Math Movement Maze
🏃 Kinesthetic | 🎵 AuditorySet up a hallway or backyard obstacle course where kids have to solve a math fact to advance. For example, “jump to the cone with the correct answer to 6 × 4.”
🎨 Color-Coded Problem Solving
👁️ VisualUse different colored markers for each step in a multi-step word problem. This helps visual learners organize information and reduce overwhelm.
🧂 Sensory Tray Number Practice
🖐️ Tactile | 🎵 AuditoryFill a shallow tray with salt, flour, or sand. Have your child trace numerals, equations, or symbols while saying them aloud.
🧑🏫 For Educators: Multisensory Math Strategies for the Classroom
🧱 Build With Base-Ten Blocks and Arrays
🖐️ Tactile | 👁️ VisualUse manipulatives to demonstrate regrouping, multiplication, and division. Have students “teach back” to peers for added verbal processing.
✍️ Math Journals with Sketch-to-Solve
👁️ Visual | ✏️ WritingLet students draw their thinking. Instead of just solving 12 ÷ 3, they sketch three groups with four items in each and label parts of the model.
💻 Tech-Integrated Tactile Stations
👁️ Visual | 🖐️ Tactile | 🎮 InteractiveCombine hands-on work with digital learning. Students build problems with blocks, then model or check them using apps like GeoGebra, Toy Theater, or the Math Learning Center.
🎭 Act It Out: Story Problems Come to Life
🏃 Kinesthetic | 🎵 Auditory | 👁️ VisualAssign roles and act out real-life math scenarios. “You have 15 apples and 3 friends…” becomes a mini play where kids group, divide, and explain their thinking aloud.
🎒 Quick Wins by Grade Level
Grade Band | Activity Example | Senses Engaged |
K–2 | Count with goldfish crackers, sort coins, sing skip-counting songs | 🖐️ 👁️ 🎵 |
3–5 | Build arrays with Cheez-Its, make fraction models with paper plates | 🖐️ 👁️ |
6–8 | Walk number lines, draw ratio tables, graph on large posters | 🏃 👁️ ✍️ |
9–12 | Sketch algebra transformations, build geometry solids, use color-coding for solving equations | 👁️ ✍️ 🖐️ |
🧺 Create Your Own “Math Station” at Home or in Class
Want to make multisensory learning part of your daily routine? Create a simple math learning station stocked with:
Dice, counters, paper shapes, and fraction tiles
A small whiteboard and colored markers
Rhythm sticks or a small drum for skip counting
Sand tray or kinetic sand for tracing
Visual anchor charts and multiplication rhymes
👉 Pro Tip: Rotate activities weekly and let students choose which one they want to try during warm-ups or as a math break. Choice increases buy-in and independence.
With just a few tools and a shift in approach, multisensory learning can turn math from a source of stress into a source of success. You don’t need perfection—you just need a plan that makes sense to your child’s brain and body.
Addressing Common Concerns About Multisensory Learning
We get it—when you’re trying something new to support your child or your students, it’s normal to ask: Will this really work? Do I have time for this? Is this just another education trend that will disappear next year?
Let’s break down the most common questions and give you the honest, research-backed answers so you can move forward with confidence.
❓ Will multisensory learning really work for my child?
Yes—and here’s why. Multisensory learning is designed to support how the brain naturally learns best. It’s not one-size-fits-all. It’s flexible and personalized, making it effective for a wide range of learners—including kids who don’t respond well to traditional instruction.
Example:
A student who struggles with multiplication facts might suddenly “get it” by clapping out rhythms that reinforce the patterns.
A child who shuts down during word problems may come alive when asked to draw or act out the scenario.
It’s not about forcing your child to adapt to one method. It’s about giving them multiple ways in. That’s the magic.
🕒 Doesn’t this take a lot of time and effort to set up?
It doesn’t have to. While some multisensory lessons might involve a little prep, most can be woven into your regular routines—no Pinterest-perfect setup required.
Real-life examples:
Measure ingredients while cooking dinner to teach fractions.
Practice skip counting while driving or walking the dog using a chant or hand-clap game.
Use coins, playing cards, or snack foods as impromptu math manipulatives.
It’s about working with your life, not adding another layer of stress. Even five minutes a day of multisensory interaction can reduce resistance and build confidence over time.
👩🎓 What about older students? Is this still effective in middle or high school?
Absolutely. Multisensory learning is not just for early childhood. The brain continues to benefit from sensory input—especially when tackling abstract or multi-step math concepts.
Examples for older learners:
A high school student might graph functions by hand with color-coded pens and describe patterns aloud to reinforce understanding.
A middle schooler might build 3D geometric models to better grasp volume and surface area.
Algebra students can benefit from algebra tiles, movement-based activities, or visual math notebooks.
Multisensory strategies are age-flexible and can be leveled up to match developmental needs. It’s never “too late” to use an approach that makes learning click.
🔬 Isn’t this just another educational fad?
Nope. This isn’t a trend—it’s neuroscience.
Multisensory learning is backed by decades of research in cognitive psychology, special education, and brain development. Studies show that engaging multiple senses:
Strengthens neural pathways
Improves retention and recall
Reduces cognitive overload
Supports executive function and working memory
For students with learning differences like dyscalculia, ADHD, or dyslexia, multisensory instruction isn’t just “nice to have”—it’s often the most effective way to access learning.
🧠 Bottom Line?`
Multisensory learning isn’t about gimmicks. It’s about meeting learners where they are—using the full power of their brain and body to make math more understandable, more engaging, and more confidence-boosting.
When you use this approach consistently (even in small ways), you’re not just helping your child succeed in math—you’re building a foundation of self-trust, resilience, and joy in learning that will carry them far beyond the classroom.
Unlock Your Child’s Learning Potential
Every parent wants to see their child thrive—not just in math class, but in life. That’s why it’s so painful to watch them struggle with concepts that seem to come easily to others. The tears, the shutdowns, the “I’m just not good at math” moments? They’re not about ability. They’re about fit.
Because here’s the truth: your child isn’t broken. They don’t need to work harder or be someone they’re not. They need a different way in—one that honors how their brain actually learns.
That’s what multisensory instruction does. It turns abstract numbers into something your child can see, touch, move through, and make sense of. It takes math from a source of daily stress and transforms it into something empowering—something they can finally feel successful at.
At MindBridge Math Mastery, we specialize in personalized multisensory support for students who learn differently. Whether your child has dyscalculia, ADHD, anxiety, or just hasn't clicked with traditional instruction, we meet them where they are—with the tools, strategies, and encouragement to move forward.
Hands-on fraction models? We’ve got those.
Movement-based multiplication practice? Absolutely.
Step-by-step routines that build executive function and math fluency? Yes—and we make it fun.
You've already taken the first and hardest step: realizing your child needs something different. Now it's time to take the next one—with someone who understands what they're capable of.
👉 Book your free consultation today and discover how multisensory learning can unlock your child’s confidence, competence, and love for learning. Let’s turn struggle into strength—together.
Susan Ardila, a renowned leader in math education and educational development, specializes in empowering students to overcome learning challenges through personalized strategies and expert support. As the founder of MindBridge Math Mastery, Susan has dedicated her career to transforming struggles into success stories for learners of all abilities. Join our community of achievers and start your child’s journey to math confidence today.
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