Sneaky Ways
to Teach Mathematics
When most people think of beginning math skills they think of number recognition and the ability to count- however, there are many things you can do (some of which you might already be doing!) that will help children learn basic concepts.
More vs. Less
(or bigger vs. smaller, taller vs. shorter)
Something as simple as asking a child if they want "more" of a food is teaching them the structure concept of numbers and ratio.
ex: Is Ava taller than Blake? Are you smaller than daddy?
ex: Sam has 3 pieces of chalk and Winnie has 2, so Winnie has less than Sam.
ex: Jane is first in line today as she is our line leader on the job chart.
Patterns
This could start out as you demonstrating, such as giving every other child at the table a green plate while the others get blue. There are numerous educational materials designed to encourage pattern creation- such as small wooden shape blocks, but you can also use almost anything in your home- shoes, fruit snacks, coins (trickier, for the elementary schoolers).
Shapes
This can be as simple as pointing out the circle of your car wheels, the square of their birthday present, or the triangle of their grilled cheese sandwich halves. Shapes can be found anywhere!
Dump and Fill
This can combine with cognitive, sensory, and fine motor- not to mention being one of the favorite activities of most toddlers! Dump and fill with sand and a pail at the beach, with cooking bowls and water on your kitchen floor, or with old oatmeal containers and cheerios.. children can watch as one container gets smaller as the other gets fuller and discover what happens when they manipulate the substance of choice.
When most people think of beginning math skills they think of number recognition and the ability to count- however, there are many things you can do (some of which you might already be doing!) that will help children learn basic concepts.
More vs. Less
(or bigger vs. smaller, taller vs. shorter)
Something as simple as asking a child if they want "more" of a food is teaching them the structure concept of numbers and ratio.
ex: Is Ava taller than Blake? Are you smaller than daddy?
ex: Sam has 3 pieces of chalk and Winnie has 2, so Winnie has less than Sam.
ex: Jane is first in line today as she is our line leader on the job chart.
Patterns
This could start out as you demonstrating, such as giving every other child at the table a green plate while the others get blue. There are numerous educational materials designed to encourage pattern creation- such as small wooden shape blocks, but you can also use almost anything in your home- shoes, fruit snacks, coins (trickier, for the elementary schoolers).
Shapes
This can be as simple as pointing out the circle of your car wheels, the square of their birthday present, or the triangle of their grilled cheese sandwich halves. Shapes can be found anywhere!
Dump and Fill
This can combine with cognitive, sensory, and fine motor- not to mention being one of the favorite activities of most toddlers! Dump and fill with sand and a pail at the beach, with cooking bowls and water on your kitchen floor, or with old oatmeal containers and cheerios.. children can watch as one container gets smaller as the other gets fuller and discover what happens when they manipulate the substance of choice.
Waiting Games: Waiting has become a part of our everyday lives. the next time you hear, "How much longer?" try one of these ideas to occupy your children:
- Play word games. Start with a simple word like "up". Take turns thinking of opposites (down).
- Take the change out of your pocket and let your child sort it. Tell them the names of the coins, and talk about how they're alike and different. "The quarters and dimes are both silver. But the quarters are big, and the dimes are small.
- Work on counting forward and backward. For an extra challenge, have your child try counting from a number other than 1. For instance, you say "7..." they would continue, "8, 9, 10."
- Try an alphabet search. Look around the room and find the letter A on a sign or poster. Take turns finding the letters in order until you reach Z.
- Try a color search. Ask your child to find two of the same color, or tell them to find a color somewhere in the room.
- Play "I spy" where you say "I spy with my little eye, something that is round and green" Your child will need to tell you the object that you are referring to.
- Practice coming up with rhyming words. Take turns with your child and count how many words you come up with.
December, 2013
Recently, I saw a wonderful snowman bucket filled with fake fleece snowballs. They were so cute, with little faces on them, and the description in the catelog said they were for indoor snowball fights. What a great idea I thought, and then I saw the price, $27.00. I didn't think it was that cute! Later, I was talking with someone who told me about when she was a child and her mother rolled up socks so that she and her sister could have "snowball fights" in the livingroom. Now that is a cute idea.
Another indoor winter idea is to get some large marshmallows and have the children pass them using an ice cream cone. Allow children to walk from one end of a room, or around objects, and then pass them to another person. Lots of motor skill building with this one.
And finally, don't let your bubble solution sit unused in the winter. Freeze a Bubble! If the weather outside is below 32 degrees, you can take your bubble activities outdoors. Blow a bubble and catch it on the wand. Wait and watch as it freezes. It will turn into a crystal ball and then shatter like glass! The children will see the ice crystals form. You can also do this with large bubble wands. Dip the wand into the bubble solution but do not blow a bubble. The crystals will form across the mouth of the wand. Have fun!
Recently, I saw a wonderful snowman bucket filled with fake fleece snowballs. They were so cute, with little faces on them, and the description in the catelog said they were for indoor snowball fights. What a great idea I thought, and then I saw the price, $27.00. I didn't think it was that cute! Later, I was talking with someone who told me about when she was a child and her mother rolled up socks so that she and her sister could have "snowball fights" in the livingroom. Now that is a cute idea.
Another indoor winter idea is to get some large marshmallows and have the children pass them using an ice cream cone. Allow children to walk from one end of a room, or around objects, and then pass them to another person. Lots of motor skill building with this one.
And finally, don't let your bubble solution sit unused in the winter. Freeze a Bubble! If the weather outside is below 32 degrees, you can take your bubble activities outdoors. Blow a bubble and catch it on the wand. Wait and watch as it freezes. It will turn into a crystal ball and then shatter like glass! The children will see the ice crystals form. You can also do this with large bubble wands. Dip the wand into the bubble solution but do not blow a bubble. The crystals will form across the mouth of the wand. Have fun!
January, 2014
Being sick is no fun, and missing school means missing out on learning. Use these tips to help your child stay healthy so he/she can attend school every day:
Being sick is no fun, and missing school means missing out on learning. Use these tips to help your child stay healthy so he/she can attend school every day:
- Remind him/her to wash his/her hands with soap and water before eating and
after using the restroom. (Tip, getting soaps in fun shapes and colors
might help make the activity something to look forward to) - Make sure your youngster eats a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Also, stick to a regular bedtime that allows 10-12 hours of sleep.
- If your child does get sick, replace his toothbrush and change his sheets after he/she's better. Germs left behind could make him/her sick again. Note: Ask his/her doctor when it's safe to go back to school so that he/she doesn't spread anything to classmates.
February, 2014
Family Play Time: Being stuck indoors during this weather can be very boring and constricting for a young child. (Who am I kidding, it's hard on me as well!) But being at work all day has left me a bit too tired to play when I get home. Here are some ideas to consider that will help you connect with your child, and allow you to unwind after a long day.
March, 2014
Turning off the TV - Here are some additional "games" to play with your child while you're stuck indoors on these snowy days.
Family Play Time: Being stuck indoors during this weather can be very boring and constricting for a young child. (Who am I kidding, it's hard on me as well!) But being at work all day has left me a bit too tired to play when I get home. Here are some ideas to consider that will help you connect with your child, and allow you to unwind after a long day.
- At bedtime, shine a flashlight on the walls, ceiling, and floor.
Have your child "chase" your beam with his own flashlight. Then trade
roles. - Show your child what you liked to play when you were his/her age. You could teach him/her a card game, a jump rope rhyme, or a magic trick, for instance. Next, let him teach you a game or an activity he enjoys.
- Step into a role. You might each pretend to be someone else (a cashier and a customer, a bird and a squirrel) while carrying on a conversation. Encourage your child to think about what his/her character would sound like and what he would say.
- Play "I predict...". Let your youngster practice making predictions. Ask him/her to complete a sentence like, "If I touch a soap bubble with a wet finger it will_________" or "If I tickle myself I _______________". After he/she tells you what she thinks, he/she can try the action and see if his/her prediction is true.
March, 2014
Turning off the TV - Here are some additional "games" to play with your child while you're stuck indoors on these snowy days.
- What Doesn't Belong? - Look around the room and name any three objects. Then, have your child decide which one doesn't belong and say why. Having them come up with the reason is the best practice for developing advanced thinking skills. A variation is to name two objects and have him/her choose a third and tell why it's related.
- View From My Window - Give your child paper and crayons and have them draw what they see out the window. Now is a good time to start the game because of all of the snow. Next, ask relatives or friends to send pictures (email, twitter, facebook, etc) of views out of their window. Have your child tell you what is the same and what is different in the pictures.
May, 2014
What about starting a container garden with your child. Bean plants are so easy to grow and they offer all kinds of learning opportunities. Here are some examples of questions to ask your child:
1. If the seed is green, what color do you think the bean will be ? (predicting)
2. How much does the plant grow every day? (Let your child measure with a ruler. Measurement)
3. What does a plant need in order to grow? (science) Let your child be in charge of watering the plant.
4. What are the parts of the plant? (vocabulary - stem, leaf, bud, bean, stalk, petal, flower)
5. What is your favorite way of eating beans?
6. What are words that rhyme with bean, or start with the same letter?
You could also give your child a few sheets of paper and a pencil and have them draw the plant every few days to see how much it is changing.
What about starting a container garden with your child. Bean plants are so easy to grow and they offer all kinds of learning opportunities. Here are some examples of questions to ask your child:
1. If the seed is green, what color do you think the bean will be ? (predicting)
2. How much does the plant grow every day? (Let your child measure with a ruler. Measurement)
3. What does a plant need in order to grow? (science) Let your child be in charge of watering the plant.
4. What are the parts of the plant? (vocabulary - stem, leaf, bud, bean, stalk, petal, flower)
5. What is your favorite way of eating beans?
6. What are words that rhyme with bean, or start with the same letter?
You could also give your child a few sheets of paper and a pencil and have them draw the plant every few days to see how much it is changing.