Here are three areas where parents and early
education teachers can give young children a head start in mathematics:
Find math interactions in daily routines - Everyday activities can be chock-full of math. We
use math all the time and don't even know it or aren't aware of it. We can help
children develop simple math concepts by engaging them in activities that use
math skills. This can be as simple as having your child find a matching pair of
socks, shoes or even objects around the home. Maybe even have them help you
sort out the laundry or organise silverware in a drawer. This will teach them
sorting and comparing concepts.
Lunch or snack time can be a time of
comparing who has the most crackers, carrot sticks, etc. Or juice in a glass
can be observed as fractions, one-quarter full, one-half-full or three
quarters-full. There are lots of things that we do mathematically and as you go
through your daily routine, you will discover more and more things that you can
bring to the attention of your child and engage the youngster which will
develop their mathematical skills at an early age.
Playing with Math - Playtime affords plenty of opportunities for a
child to engage and explore mathematical concepts. For example, shapes can be
made with Play-Do, Popsicle sticks or other simple building materials. Story
books or songs that include numbers are also excellent and fun ways to get a
child to think mathematically. Songs such as Five Little Monkeys might be more
educational than we think.
Math is more than Counting Numbers - Spatial reasoning and awareness are also valuable
in mathematics. Although much of this is acquired as a child has the freedom to
explore his surroundings, it can also be an object of childhood activities.
Spatial awareness has to do with understanding objects as they relate to
oneself in a given space.
When we discuss or give directives to
children about an object's location we are making them aware of objects in
relationship to their space. For example, the ball is in the cupboard, the book
is on the bookshelf, the toys are under the table are all examples of objects
in location. Fun activities can include a game of hide-and-seek, the game Simon
Says and other children's games that include objects and movement in
relationship to the child's location.
These are only a few ideas of how you can
give your child a head start in mathematics. As you look around, many other
ideas, games and activities will come to your mind on how you can engage
pre-schoolers so that their mathematical skills are developed. In the
long-term, they will be better math students because math was taught to them in
an enjoyable way.
Helen Khan is an educationalist, writer and
editor. She teaches IELTS preparation classes, specializing in writing skills.
You can contact Helen Khan through her website Alberta Rose Education Centre at
http://www.albertaroseeducation.com.
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