March 14 (3/14) is Pi Day — the one day of the year when math gets its own holiday. For middle school teachers and parents, it's an opportunity to celebrate mathematics in a way that doesn't feel like homework. Done well, Pi Day creates positive associations with math that linger long after the pie is eaten. Done badly, it's a worksheet about circles with a slice of pie at the end. Here's how to make Pi Day actually fun.
Quick Pi Day Activities
Pi Memorization Contest
How many digits of pi can you memorize? 3.14159265358979... Award small prizes for milestones (10 digits, 25 digits, 50 digits). Some students will surprise you and memorize over 100. The activity is silly and pointless, which is part of the charm.
Pi-Themed Word Problems
Create a problem set where every problem involves circles, pie, or pi. Calculate the area of a pizza. Find the circumference of a bicycle wheel. Convert a fraction to a decimal that approaches pi. Have students work in pairs and see who finishes first.
Circle Hunt
Send students around the school to find circular objects. Measure the diameter and circumference. Calculate the ratio C/d for each. Notice how the ratio is always approximately pi. This is the discovery moment — students see WHY pi exists, not just memorize the formula.
Pi Day Infinilearn Tournament
Run a 20-minute Infinilearn tournament focused on geometry problems. Highest accuracy wins a prize (a slice of pie, of course). The teacher dashboard shows results so winners can be announced fairly.
Pi Day Snacks (Optional but Recommended)
The "pi/pie" pun is the heart of Pi Day. Bring (or have students bring) actual pie. Calculate the area before slicing. Discuss who gets the bigger slice and how to divide fairly using fractions. Eating pie while discussing fractions is the most enjoyable math practice of the year.
The Bottom Line
Pi Day is a chance to celebrate math without it feeling like school. Memorization contests, circle hunts, themed problems, and pie make a memorable day. Use Infinilearn to add structured practice in the geometry topics that pi day is celebrating. And don't forget the pie — it's the only food named after a Greek letter.