why I’m not a fan of candy graphs (and what we should do instead)
After Halloween, my social media fills up with pictures of candy graphs. They’re fun, colorful, and a creative way to introduce kids to graphs using physical objects. Candy graphs can show quantities, allow kids to compare categories, and generally make graphs feel approachable. But despite the sweetness, they fall short in a crucial way.
Candy graphs may look great on social media—bold, flashy, and neatly arranged. But they’re often meaningless, and sometimes even misleading. For instance, there are more Snickers in the picture above than Reese’s cups, whereas it looks like the opposite is true.
September was a nice month here in Wisconsin, but we don’t need a graph to tell us that: we experienced it.
Candy graphs, dice rolls, weather charts—these types of visualizations, while fun, don’t truly tap into the power of graphs. They don’t help kids understand something meaningful about their world or make any decisions based on the information. The problem with candy graphs highlights a broader issue in how we typically teach data to kids. We miss the chance to show them that data can be a powerful tool for critical thinking, decision-making, and positive change.
The best graphs—for kids and adults alike—are those that help us make better decisions, spark thoughtful discussions, or inspire us to improve our habits. But so often, we use examples that are disconnected from kids' experiences. Instead of guiding them to ask questions that they care about, we give them prepackaged data from topics that might be colorful or fun, but ultimately lack meaning for them.
Kids are naturally curious—they love asking questions, drawing, and exploring topics that matter to them. By engaging them in collecting and graphing data on subjects they care about, we’re teaching critical problem-solving skills in a hands-on, interactive way. When we spark their curiosity and empower them to visualize data to answer their own questions, graphs become more than just tools—they become superpowers.
Let’s take a fresh approach to teaching graphs. Instead of focusing on data that’s "nice to look at," let’s focus on data that’s actionable. For instance, I had my kids track their sleep hours and mood each morning for a week, then plot it on a scatterplot. My 11-year old decided he should try to get to sleep a little earlier so he’d feel more energized in the mornings. During a recent school assembly activity, we surveyed kids and then had them graph the results to questions like what the favorite new option for the hot lunch menu would be. These are merely a couple of examples: there are so many questions kids can ask and answer to learn about themselves and have input on decisions that impact them.
Begin by involving kids in choosing questions they want answered. Then help them collect data from their own lives, and let them plot their own points on the graph. This way, they’re not just learning what a graph is—they’re learning what a graph can do.
Join me at the free Make Math Moments Virtual Summit (November 15–17) to explore a hands-on classroom activity on meaningful data collection and graphing. My session airs Saturday, November 16th at 5:30pm ET. You can also listen to my chat with Make Math Moments cofounder Jon Orr in the latest episode of the SWD podcast:
For more ideas and inspiration on creating meaningful graphing activities, check out our Daphne Draws Data YouTube channel, where you’ll find short videos with graphing activities designed for use in the classroom, video read-aloud companions, and more.
