Math Ideas Math You and your child can explore geometry by preparing food in different geometric shapes. For example: * cut cheese into squares and triangles * Choose crackers that are squares and circles * notice that grapes are like spheres * slice oranges into circles * use a glass of milk or a cheese stick for a cylinder * Make a square peanut butter sandwich and cut it into triangles. (or your child can nibble it to make it atriangle, circle or other shape.) As you eat, talk about shapes. You might ask questions such as, "how many corners does a triangle have?" or "what other things can you think of that are circles?" Informal conversations help children recognize the similarities and differences among geometric shapes.
* Children's first experiences with measurement focus on direct comparisons and understanding the concepts of big and small, longer and shorter, taller and shorter, and the same as. Help your child by using comparison language in everday conversation. For example, "You must have grown taller because now you can see out the window!" You can also explore measurement by helping your child mark the heights of family members on door frames or a large sheet of paper. Compare the marks and talk about who is tallest and who is the shortest and which people are the closest in height. Measure and mark heights again in a few months. Note whether anyone has grown taller. How much taller?
* Continue to encourage your child to write numbers, watching their strokes and assisting them in making the proper strokes if needed. Also, since we are learning about adding and taking away, you can sing "Take Away" songs with your child at home! Songs such as Five little Ducks or Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed or any other songs that you know that incorporate counting forwards or backwards. Have your child use mathematics to solve everyday situations. Setting the table can be a natural opportunity for you child to practice counting and problem solving skills. You might ask your child questions such as: * How many spoons and cups do we need so everyone has one of each? How many forks do we need if the baby only uses a spoon? * How many cookies should we serve so everyone gets 2 cookies? * How can we share the bread evenly? How many pieces should each of us get? What should we do with the leftover pieces? * How many more chairs do we need if the neighbors come over to eat? Look for other natural and informal ways to engage your child in problem solving at home.
* Use cookie cutters or plastic knives and play dough to make sets of a certain number of things. For example, if your number is 5, your child can make 5 circles, 5 bells, 5 leaves, and so on. You and your child can arrange the shapes in a pattern (such as 2 circles – 1 square – 2 circles – 1 square). Guess each others pattern and continue the pattern with more shapes.
* Play find the bear. Turn 6 small cups upside down. Label each with a numeral from 1 - 6. Hide a bear under one of the cups. Ask your child to guess the number the bear is under. Give number clues to help find the bear; it is under a cup with a higher / lower number. Add more cups for an additional challenge. Also, if your child has mastered recognizing numerals from 1 - 6, start using higher numbers to play. We are starting to work with recognizing numbers in the early teens, so don't start too high too quickly as it can be discouraging for children who are learning their numbers!
* Play missing number. Place number cards 0 - 6 in a row in order. Ask your child to close his or her eyes. Remove a card and close up the empty space. When your child opens his or her eyes they must determine which number card is missing. If needed, give clues such as the missing number is higher than 3. Add more number cards as your child is ready. To keep it interesting, swap roles with your child and allow your child to take a card away while you cover your eyes. Try not to tell the number right away and allow your child the opportunity to give you clues using the words higher and lower.
* Play high / low game at home with your child. Using regualr playing cards, remove all face cards and the aces, or to include the numbers 0 and 1 as well as those early teen numbers you can make number cards that go from 0 - 12. Distribute the cards evenly and each person turns over his or her top card. Take turns reading the numeral and then the person who has the bigger number says 'high' while the person with the smaller number says 'low'. The person with the high card takes the cards in the stack. If the numbers are the same, draw the top card again and determine the high and low card. The person with the high card takes all 4 cards. Continue playing until all cards have been used.