Last month’s blog was centered on using fairy tales as a tool to promote learning and kindergarten readiness. It’s time to balance that with another kind of literacy, math literacy. Playing and experimenting with numbers in all kinds of natural and fun activities helps children with readiness for kindergarten.
While language is mainly a verbal activity, math is primarily a visual one. When young children say a number they often include a visual sign and show that many fingers. The card in the picture is called a Power Of Ten card. This one shows two lines of 5 squares that make 10, just like 2 hands of 5 fingers.
Today, when helping your little one, together count 10 fingers and 10 toes. When working in the kitchen, give your child 10 things to line up like fingers, 5 on one side, 5 on the other. 10 plastic bread tags, 10 lunch container lids, 10 blocks, 10 Shreddies, 10 banana chips, 10 Cheerios, whatever is available. Take 10 steps, hop 10 times, put away 10 toys(!), pick up 10 things off the floor, share 10 hugs. Does this catch your atTENtion?