Maths is a notoriously troublesome subject to teach children in school, especially as the kids reach their teenage years and have to sit and listen to a teacher explaining trigonometry, and other aspects of mathematics. A number of schools and colleges struggle with keeping children’s maths skills up to scratch. Using games, such as snooker, things as simple as a snooker table and snooker cues can make maths lessons fun, while also improving other skills.

In addition to maths, other skills can be improved by playing snooker. Patience is a valuable skill for children to learn, and setting up a snooker shot can take time and requires patience from players. Information must to be processed, considering which ball to go for, how hard to hit the ball and where the ball will end up. Coordination is another skill that can be learned playing a game of snooker. Considering the angle before hitting the ball with the snooker cue and using just the right amount of power behind the shot, requires coordination from the player.

The best players in snooker don’t rely on luck and expensive snooker cues to help them win the game. They unknowingly are using mathematical skills, including trigonometry, to work out how a shot will bounce off another ball or the side cushion. Knowledge of physics is also used to determine the reaction of one ball hitting another, particularly the spin off the cue ball.

Using sports for teaching key skills in maths and sciences is becoming increasingly popular. The interest of children is maintained, and fun makes it easier for children to retain information.