Math shelf

Math is the study of numbers. Our entire universe is based on numbers. People have made wonderful new inventions using numbers. Some examples of how we use numbers in our lives are money to buy and sell things, speed limits on the highway, counting how many eggs we need to make cookies, dialing a telephone number so that you can talk to grandma or your best friend, knowing how many gallons of gas to put in your car at the gas station, etc.

Children learn to count to ten as easy as they learn their alphabet song. The beginning blocks of math for the preschooler starts in everyday life.

Math center tools

Learning how to tell time does not start with knowing the hour and minutes on the clock. Children first learn to tell time by the activity associated with that hour. When a preschooler is asked, ‘What time is it?' He/she answers ‘It's time for breakfast / bed / park / play.'

Next, the preschooler learns the difference between yesterday, today, and tomorrow; first, second, and third.

Preschool math teaches children about opposites. Tall/short, hot/cold, etc.

Measuring box

Children learn how to graph answers to fun questions like comparing every family member's favorite color to see how many people like blue, yellow, etc.

Math also shows children how to measure length by using a ruler. Using a scale children learn how to measure weight …light/heavy.

Math as a concept also includes shapes . Being able to recognize shapes helps the young mind to put abstract and concrete ideas into perspective.

Sorting like objects by group (sorting toys while cleaning up by category…blocks, trucks, balls, dolls, etc.) is also a math classification skill. Children like sorting and this particular skill becomes important as young adults in staying organized and on task well into adulthood.

Learning math through play is a nice way to teach your child left brained skills that will increase his/her love of order in the world.

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