Preschool Math Activities: Numbers, Counting, and Beyond!
Early math skills are being used by children throughout their activities, experiences and daily routines, whether at school or at home. For example, becoming familiar with their routines such as brushing their teeth, getting dressed, taking a nap, and learning about going shopping with their parents can all become math learning opportunities when approached in a certain way. Math learning centers use simple and fun activities to help children gain an interest in math. Math is Everywhere! Mathematics plays a major role in a child’s development and helps children make sense of the world around them. Children between the age of one to five years old are beginning to explore patterns and shapes, compare sizes and count objects; when guided in the right direction. When it comes to preschool activities children use a variety of methods to problemsolve and talk about their findings. Math play is evident in pretend play, block play, literacy play, outdoor play, and science play, for example. Any of the following commonly-found items can be used as tools to help teach fundamental math skills like adding and subtracting: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Peg Number Boards Counting Bears Car Garages Magnetic 2D and 3D Blocks Number Tracing Sheets Tangrams Playdough Books and Rhymes Puzzles (e.g. Jigsaw Puzzle)
Math Play: Examples from a Preschool Learning Center Measurement Measurement is a skill most kids are eager to learn since it’s easy to see real-life applications. This activity category includes ordering and comparing objects to figure out