Their Future Depend On It - Preschool Math Activities
Author: Zehavit Meltzer
Author: Zehavit Meltzer
It is essential for their success in school that children are exposed to the world of math early on in their academic years.
By the time they enter kindergarten children must be familiar with concepts such as patterning, shapes, number recognition and measurements. Use these simple
math games for kids to develop your child's analytical way of thinking.
While compiling the list of activities below, I used Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. Here are some suggestions of easy math games you can play almost anywhere and anytime.
Math Patterns 1. Movement - Use your body to create a pattern. Hands up and hands down, up and down. Clap clap, snap. Clap, Clap, snap. - This is a great activity for kinesthetic learners
2. Beads - Use beads to make a patterned necklace or bracelet. - This is a good fine motor activity
3. Pattern Detective - Go on a pattern hunt and look for patterns around the house. Do the curtains have a pattern? How about your bedspread? - This activity works well with the visual learner.
4. Words - You can play with words and create word patterns. Go, go, stay. Go, go, stay. - That's right you guessed it, this activity is great for the linguistic child.
Comparing Numbers
1. Card Games - Play simple card games such as War and Uno to reinforce your child's number recognition. This is a great activity for the visual learner.
2. Calendar - Place a large calendar on the fridge at your child's eye level. Begin each day by reading the calendar. "What day is it today?" Review words such as: Today, tomorrow, yesterday, before and after. - This is a good activity for the linguistic child.
3. Numbers in the kitchen - When you are cooking or baking with your child, bring to their attention the numbers in the cook book, measuring cups and on food item boxes- This activity helps reinforce the importance of math in the world.
4.Number Play dough- Write a number on a place mat using tape. Give your child some play dough and let them trace the number. - This activity works well for the kinesthetic learners.
Math Shapes
1. Body Shapes Alone - Use different body parts to draw shapes in the air. Another way you can use your body is by transforming yourself into a shape. This activity is beneficial for both the kinesthetic learners and the intrapersonal child.
2. Body Shapes Together- Use the same activity as above but this time partner up the children. - This is a good activity for the interpersonal child.
3. Shape Match Up - Put out various sizes and shapes of pots and containers and see if your child can match them up.This activity works well for the kinesthetic learners.
4.What Shape am I - Get your child to think 'outside the box' by looking at objects from different angles. A water bottle from the front is rectangular but from the bottom looks like a circle.
Preschool Math - Measurements
1. Length - Compare different objects around the house. Which is taller, which is shorter? How about at the grocery store? Which bottle of ketchup is taller?
2.Weight- Let your child be a human scale. Ask them to hold one item in each hand. Which is heavier? Is the larger item always the heavier one?? For example, compare a roll of paper towels to a full water bottle, or a bag full of pennies to a large bag ofsocks.
3. Volume - Compare drinking glasses to one another. Which one holds more liquid? The tall one or the short one? Get your child to predict.
4.Count Down- Make a chart as an easy way to measure time and introduce your child to concepts such as weeks and months. How many days until we go on vacation?
The key to any preschool ideas is making any activity meaningful and memorable to the child. By using examples taken from the world of the child and showing him/her the importance of math in our everyday lives you are able to establish your child's love and appreciation for math.About the Author:
Zehavit Meltzer is a preschool teacher, a mom and a webmaster. Her site Preschools 4 All is committed to bringing meaningful Preschool Activities to all children and by doing so to change the world one preschooler at a T.I.M.E.
For more information visit:
www.preschools4all.comFor more preschool ideas and to read about the T.I.M.E. philosophy visit:
www.preschools4all.com/preschool-ideas.html
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