Math is all around us, and introducing it to children at an early age can build a solid foundation for a lifetime of exploration and learning. Around age two, your child is developmentally ready to understand the association between numbers and objects. To teach them important concepts and prepare them for kindergarten, try some of the following activities. They’re as fun as they are educational!
Sort Objects
Collect a variety of objects with different shapes, sizes, and colors, and have your child sort them into groups. You can use toys, blocks, or natural objects like stones and leaves. Your child can also separate their toys into categories, separating cars from toy airplanes or sorting spoons and forks. Discuss each shape, count how many there are in each group, and explore how different objects can share the same shape. This activity encourages classification skills and geometric understanding in a tangible, hands-on way.
Cook and Set The Table
Invite your preschooler into the kitchen for some delicious math lessons. Cooking and baking are filled with opportunities to count, measure, and follow sequences. Let them help with measuring ingredients, counting out portions, and observing the changes that happen as you cook. Not only does this teach valuable math skills, but it also results in a tasty treat that you can enjoy together!
You can also teach your child that math has real-life applications when you’re setting the table! Every time you set the table, narrate what you’re doing. You can say, “One spoon, two spoons, one plate, two plates…” to help your preschooler begin to build their counting skills. Here is a great DIY tool for teaching little ones to set the table.
Nature Walk and Count
If you want to head outside, this is a fun activity that will reinforce number sequence and counting skills while you enjoy the outdoors. Print the nature walk and count sheet before leaving the house, and review all of the items you will be counting with your child. While walking, help your child find each of the items on the list, increasing in number as you spot more of the same item. After the walk, you can review and re-count each of the items.
Number-Themed Storytime
Combine the magic of storytelling with numbers. As you read books together, pause to explore the numbers in the story or count objects on the pages and predict what might come next. For example, you could ask your child, “How many puppies do you see on this page?” or “Does she have more apples or fewer apples than her friend?” By drawing awareness to numbers and categories, you are building their vocabulary for engaging with math.
Chore Champions
You can turn daily playroom clean-up time into a math game! Try asking your child to “Put away FIVE books, then run back to me!” Once they’ve done that, you can say, “Great job! Next, put away THREE blue blocks!” Breaking any task into specific, achievable steps gives your child the pride of accomplishment while building their counting and sorting skills at the same time.
The Gardner School Grows Math Skills Daily
Children recognize and enjoy math concepts when they encounter them regularly. You don’t need flashcards and worksheets to teach them. Instead, simply invite your little one to notice how math functions in the real world around them. To learn more about our approach, visit The Gardner School location nearest you today.