Math and Numbers

Learning about numbers doesn’t start with printable worksheets; it starts with exploring numbers in play and using them at home. These experiences all contribute to children’s number sense (and readiness for kindergarten) which grows and develops just like kids do. What are some fun activities for the number 4?

Cars, trucks and lots of train pieces have 4 wheels. As your child plays with a car, count the wheels 1..2..3..4. You can notice that other cars have 4 wheels, too. Are there any other ones with 4 wheels? If you have a plastic placemat, “park” one car in each corner. There are 4 cars, there must be 4 corners. Have your child make groups of 4 objects using stuffies, blocks, cars, even shoes. Sing The Wheels On The Bus, but buses do sometimes have more than 4 wheels. Hop 4 times, then have your child jump 4 times, sit down and stand up 4 times. Play some hand clapping games together with your child (see blog for #2, two days ago).

The following activity can be done as you need to do some chores: go on a 4 walk in the house. Look for things that are 4, like chair legs. Check under the beds to see if they have 4 legs, retrieving items or even dusting.  Pick up 4 toys, put 4 things away. Read 4 books; they can be short. Besides, you and your child need some sitting time after all that work. Maybe 4…maybe 1 cookie, in four bites?

Using numbers in ordinary and play activities will help your child understand “fourness”. Number sense is not just counting numbers in order, it’s figuring how many items belong to each number. This is the basis for later math. Children will do lots more number activities when they start school. Supporting kids number learning earlier promotes kindergarten readiness and helps them feel successful in later math activities.

1,2,3…Go! While many children can say the number 3, they also need to build in their mind an idea of “threeness”. To do this, kids need lots and lots of experiences with 3. Over time, they create a mental image of how much is 3, linking how many to the number word. This basic understanding or number sense is very important for kindergarten readiness and all other math learning. Plus, they will do lots of number exploration at kindergarten, too.

Today’s readiness for kindergarten pre-math activity is exploring 3. If appropriate, ask your child to put 3 blocks or cars in a line, find 3 stuffies, 3 books, etc. Younger kids may not be able to, but together you and your child can count 3 things a few times. Then, let your munchkin play with the items. Older kids may be able to make 2 or 3 different groups of 3 things. Do they have the same number of objects? Yes, 3 is always 3. Is there a special shape that’s like 3? A triangle. Why is it like a 3?

Setting the table is a 3 activity: knife, fork and spoon = 3. Put away 3 toys, read 3 books, eat 3 things, do 3 actions–hop, skip, jump. Take 3 giant steps, 3 baby ones, 3 medium ones.There’s lots of books about 3 and some stories to just tell, like  The Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs, The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Sing 3 Little Kittens Lost Their Mittens. Make up some new animals: 3 little bunnies lost their honey, 3 little frogs lots their logs, 3 little llamas lots their mamas. Oh, no!! What’s your child’s favorite number? Is it 3?