Preschool Math
Preschool Math Activities
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Math activities for preschoolers can be very simple to put together. Your preschooler does not need to sit and fill in workbooks.
Most preschool math can be done with items you already have in your home. Math activities include counting, shape recognition,
numbers and time activities. Take a look at these math activities for preschoolers.
Most preschool math can be done informally by playing games and having fun.
There are some worksheets, if you choose to do these pick a time when your preschooler is at their best and don't spend very long on them.
Keep it short, snappy and fun. You want to try to instil a love of numbers to your preschool child that they can carry with them.
If you enjoy these activities yourself you influence your little one to go on to enjoy mathematics too.
Toddlers and preschoolers both learn best when you are using concrete illustrations. Children of this age are unable to make sense of the abstract.
Kinaesthetic learners will take thing in whilst touching and feeling and this is the same for most young children.
Preschool Math - COUNTING
- You can practise counting with you preschooler everyday.
- Count stairs as you go up and down
- How many giant steps does it take to cross the room.
- Count the cutlery you put out for dinner.
- When out shopping let your preschooler count the apples you need as they pit them in a bag.
- Count toy cars or dolls.
Count how long it takes your preschooler to do something, say "I will count while you get your coat on"
(this can also be used as a strategy to encourage your toddler and preschooler to do something they are reluctant to do.)
This Trouble Board Game
is an ideal first board game and your preschoolers will be able to count numbers on the dice with your help then count the moves of their playing piece.
This is one of our favorite games that all four of our children have enjoyed.
NUMBER ACTIVITIES
- You can help your preschooler with learning numbers by:
- Singing and learning these number nursery rhymes will help your preschooler have fun with hearing numbers.
- Make or buy some playdoh and make number shapes from it.
- Check out these Melissa & Doug Magnetic Wooden Numbers
great for your preschooler to hold, feel and manipulate.
- Find numbers in books and magazines.
- Point out numbers on doors as you walk around your neighborhood.
- Cut large numbers from cardboard, color or stick different materials onto it.
- Draw numbers in sand, or a flat plate of sugar.
- Books such as Sticker Activity Numbers (Sticker Activity Fun)
are really good.
Preschool Math - Games
Preschool math games will help your children to learn in a fun way.
Why not try games like hopscotch, number puzzles and the game "trouble" to help your preschooler with math.
Preschool Math - SHAPE
- Do comparisons: this apple is round, this box is square.
- These Learning Resources Attribute Lacing Buttons, Set Of 48
are ideal for learning about shapes.
- Draw shapes for your preschooler to color in, or stick materials too.
- Draw a house, windows which are square, triangle roof, rectangle door etc. Get your preschooler to pick out the squares and color in etc.
- Make shapes from playdoh.
- Talk about shapes ie. the handle is round, the door is a rectangle etc.
- Melissa & Doug Beginner Pattern Blocks
are also great for game playing while matching shapes.
Preschool Math - TIME
- Time is quite a difficult concept to grasp. It may take some time(lol)before your preschooler grasps this.
- Your preschooler will need to know their numbers to 12.
- This Melissa & Doug Wooden Shape Sorting Clock
will help your little on to get the idea.
- Talk about time:
- If you can say dad will be home in five minutes at quarter past five for instance. Show where the hands of the clock will be at that time.
- Learning Resources Big Time 12-Hour Student Clock
allows your preschooler to be hands on with time. The clock hands can only manually be moved by you or your child.
- Our autistic daughter who is nine has only just understood about time and was better at grasping time on a digital clock.
- Talk about time as days, weeks, months and years.
Preschool Math - LANGUAGE
- Wherever you can use math language:
- Look this larger than that one
- Lets match these socks into pairs
- This cup is full, this one is empty
- First we will go to the shops, next we will buy fruit, last we will come home.
- This is a short stick, here is a long stick - measurements
- This is a big ball there is a small ball - opposites
MEASURING
- You can do this by:
- Experimenting with filling containers with water -which is full which is empty
- Which lace is longer, which is shorter.
- Which is lighter the apple or the feather.
- How many steps to the stairs, how many to the kitchen
- Use a ruler or a length of paper. Get them to find items that are shorter than the ruler or paper
- Do cooking which includes measuring activities.
Resources
Here are some resources for preschool math. Please note: I have chosen to list these from amazon.com as they are a massive retailer with good feedback for replacing items.
You can also read testimonials from other purchasers which can help you to make a decision on a purchase.
Other pages you may like:
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