Easy as 1, 2, 3: Introducing young children to math

We read to our young children because we know that it will help them grow to love words and books. Every time we splash through puddles with them, we teach them about science. But when it comes to helping our children learn about math, most adults groan and shrug their shoulders. Flash cards anyone?

Despite what you might think, math isn’t just about skill and drill—in fact, helping children understand the basics of math can be a whole lot of fun.

The good news is that you don’t have to be mathematical yourself in order to introduce your child to the nuts and bolts of math. We use math every day in so many ways that you and your children are probably already busy learning about math and may not even realize it. Every time your child places a square block into its opening in the shape sorter or snaps a Saltine in half to share with a friend, she is demonstrating the beginnings of mathematical understanding. Each time you fill the kettle to make tea, you are estimating how much water you will need. When you count out money to pay for groceries, you are using math in a practical way.

The key is to start thinking about how math is a part of what we do naturally and to emphasize it with our children. Following are some examples of ways that you can work math concepts into the activities that you do together:

• One, Two, Buckle My Shoe. Many children’s songs, rhymes and finger plays include counting and other language associated with math (think Five Little Monkeys or This Old Man). Each time you ask your child if he wants you to cut his sandwich in half or you count out loud as you stack blocks on top of one another, you are teaching him the words he will use to understand math concepts. Expand your child’s math vocabulary by making a game out of coming up with all the words that mean "big" (enormous, huge, gigantic) or "little" (small, tiny, minuscule).

• Practice number knowledge by counting with your child—the number of steps into the house, stuffed animals as they are tossed into the toy box, the number of Cheerios on your child’s tray. You will be amazed at how quickly he joins in repeating the numbers with you. Although this will mostly be a word game at first, by age three most children begin to understand that the number said is associated with a corresponding amount of a certain object.

• Make a game out of sorting and classifying objects. Toys can be lined up shortest to tallest. Socks, mittens and gloves or shoes can be dumped into piles and sorted into pairs or by color or type.

• Encourage one-to-one correspondence. Enlist the help of preschoolers at setting the table. Have them count out the number of plates, napkins, forks and spoons needed and help them set one of each out for every family member.

• Look for numbers and shapes in the world around us. Car rides are a great time to look for all of the shapes of street signs or places where numbers pop up in the neighborhood and along the road. Make note of how a pizza starts out round and then becomes a bunch of triangles. Point out Mom’s round glasses and the rectangular door.

• Work off some excess energy that comes from being cooped-up inside with a game of Follow the Leader, using giant, medium and baby steps (Take five giant steps forward and three baby steps sideways). This teaches both size differences and knowledge of numbers.

• Measure objects in unconventional ways. Use a line of Goldfish crackers to measure a spoon; stack blocks beside your child to determine how many blocks tall she is.

• Teach estimation by providing a variety of different sized containers for water play in the tub or use in the snow. ("How many drinking cups full of snow do you think it will take to fill this bucket?").

• Count your pennies. Empty your change purse or dump a handful
  of coins from the change jar into a pile and help your child sort them by color, size and (with older children) type.

• Many board games (Chutes and Ladders, Checkers, Tick-Tack-Toe) and card games are fun ways to teach children about numbers and basic math concepts such as counting, problem-solving and patterns. Although decks of cards designed for children can be cute and colorful, most every popular child’s card game can be played with an inexpensive deck of playing cards. For a comprehensive list of rules for children’s card games go to http://thehouseofcards.com/rules.html or check out the book Card Games for Children by Len Collins.

• The Quilt by Ann Jonas - Children can make their own "quilt" squares by gluing different shapes of colored paper into patterns of their own design or by copying familiar quilt patterns.

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle*

• Piggie Pie by Margie Palatini

• Five Little Ducks (book and tape) by Raffi*

• Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

• I Went Walking by Sue Williams*

• Frog and Toad Are Friends: The Lost Button by Arnold Lobel - For children who no longer put objects in their mouths, buttons are wonderful for sorting by size, shape and color.

• Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert*

• Circle Dogs by Kevin Henkes*

• Shapes by Jan Pienkowski*

• It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles Shaw*

• Shapes, Shapes, Shapes by Tana Hoban

Have children stick six toothpicks into a large marshmallow (like the spokes of a wheel). Use small marshmallows to decorate the lengths of each toothpick. Don't forget the hot chocolate! 

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