Using play to teach math to young kids
Using play to teach math to young kids
By Cecile J. Baltasar for Yahoo Southeast Asia | Parenting – Mon, Sep 1, 2014
Play your way through early math
Child education experts have said over and over again that young children learn best when they're having fun. They understand concepts more easily and retain information longer when they learn through play. More importantly, learning math through play will help kids develop a more positive attitude towards the subject.
What better way, then, to teach the basics of math to young children than through play-based activities? After all, math is everywhere and because of this, there are many opportunities to teach it using ordinary, everyday materials.
Teach how to count
Rote memorization of numbers does not work quite as well as counting using concrete materials that children can manipulate.
Try this: How many eggs are in the basket?
You'll need a bin full of small balls or anything else that can represent eggs. You'll also need a basket.
Start the game by saying, "I went to the farm and found that the chicken laid six eggs today!" Your child, then, has to fill the basket with six eggs while counting aloud. If you want to make it more exciting, give a time limit. Have your child fill the basket with the correct number of eggs before you reach the basket.
Teach about patterns
Knowing how patterns work is one of the building blocks of learning math. Learning to spot patterns helps kids pin down the relationship between parts of a whole.
Try this: The most colorful caterpillar
Cut out 2-inch squares in different bright colours; make sure there's an equal number of squares in each of the colors you pick. Make up a pattern of squares—for instance, blue, yellow, yellow, green, red—and lay them down in a line. Let your child continue the pattern until the squares run out.
As your child's skill in following patterns progresses, come up with more complex patterns, but keep the difficulty level relative to your child's age.
Teach how to compare sets
Just like how knowing patterns helps children recognise the relationship between things, understanding the similarities and differences of groups of objects helps children better process information.
Try this: Which cup has more/less popsicle sticks?
You'll need two paper cups and a pile of popsicle sticks. Set the cups next to each other and place popsicle sticks in each cup. Have your child count the number of sticks in each cup and compare: Which cup has more sticks? Which cup has less sticks? Or do they have an equal numebr of sticks?
Once your child has mastered this, come up with more varied elements in your sets. Use sticks, rocks, forks and spoons. Eventually, you can move on to comparing the number of diners at tables in restaurants, the number of cars in opposite parking lanes, the number of carrot sticks in your plate and your child's plate.
Teach how to add one- to two-digit numbers
Children need to go through a lot of doing and saying aloud before they can master addition. Sitting them down and making them memorise sums won't be as productive as a practical, hands-on approach.
Try this: Let's buy groceries!
Raid your kitchen and pantry for a kiddie supermarket right in your own home! Assign each item with a price tag and line them up on some bookshelves that are low enough for your child to reach. Then give your child a basket to put in his "purchases" and some play money to buy with. Station yourself at the "supermarket exit" and be the cashier.
Let your child figure out how much his groceries cost; teach him how that amount corresponds to the money in his hand. And have him pay you.
You could also throw in a lesson in budgeting when your child has the addition part down pat. Give your child SGD30, for example, and a list of items he needs to buy. Place similar items in your shelves but with different prices. Let your child figure out which items will fit in his budget.
What better way, then, to teach the basics of math to young children than through play-based activities? After all, math is everywhere and because of this, there are many opportunities to teach it using ordinary, everyday materials.
Teach how to count
Rote memorization of numbers does not work quite as well as counting using concrete materials that children can manipulate.
Try this: How many eggs are in the basket?
You'll need a bin full of small balls or anything else that can represent eggs. You'll also need a basket.
Start the game by saying, "I went to the farm and found that the chicken laid six eggs today!" Your child, then, has to fill the basket with six eggs while counting aloud. If you want to make it more exciting, give a time limit. Have your child fill the basket with the correct number of eggs before you reach the basket.
Teach about patterns
Knowing how patterns work is one of the building blocks of learning math. Learning to spot patterns helps kids pin down the relationship between parts of a whole.
Try this: The most colorful caterpillar
Cut out 2-inch squares in different bright colours; make sure there's an equal number of squares in each of the colors you pick. Make up a pattern of squares—for instance, blue, yellow, yellow, green, red—and lay them down in a line. Let your child continue the pattern until the squares run out.
As your child's skill in following patterns progresses, come up with more complex patterns, but keep the difficulty level relative to your child's age.
Teach how to compare sets
Just like how knowing patterns helps children recognise the relationship between things, understanding the similarities and differences of groups of objects helps children better process information.
Try this: Which cup has more/less popsicle sticks?
You'll need two paper cups and a pile of popsicle sticks. Set the cups next to each other and place popsicle sticks in each cup. Have your child count the number of sticks in each cup and compare: Which cup has more sticks? Which cup has less sticks? Or do they have an equal numebr of sticks?
Once your child has mastered this, come up with more varied elements in your sets. Use sticks, rocks, forks and spoons. Eventually, you can move on to comparing the number of diners at tables in restaurants, the number of cars in opposite parking lanes, the number of carrot sticks in your plate and your child's plate.
Teach how to add one- to two-digit numbers
Children need to go through a lot of doing and saying aloud before they can master addition. Sitting them down and making them memorise sums won't be as productive as a practical, hands-on approach.
Try this: Let's buy groceries!
Raid your kitchen and pantry for a kiddie supermarket right in your own home! Assign each item with a price tag and line them up on some bookshelves that are low enough for your child to reach. Then give your child a basket to put in his "purchases" and some play money to buy with. Station yourself at the "supermarket exit" and be the cashier.
Let your child figure out how much his groceries cost; teach him how that amount corresponds to the money in his hand. And have him pay you.
You could also throw in a lesson in budgeting when your child has the addition part down pat. Give your child SGD30, for example, and a list of items he needs to buy. Place similar items in your shelves but with different prices. Let your child figure out which items will fit in his budget.
Comments
Post a Comment