Math and Numbers

Readiness for Kindergarten – Grocery Shopping Counts

As a readiness for kindergarten learning activity shopping for groceries counts–by counting! Counting is one of the first math skills that children learn. While kids may know the numbers in the right order, that does not mean they understand about counting. First, children need to learn that one item goes with one number. Lots and lots of practice is needed just counting in order for kids’ brains to make this connection.

The super market is a great place to practice counting. Following are some suggestions. You may ask your little one to get 2 boxes of cereal. Another possibility is putting 5 apples in a bag. Have your child count with you as you pick out carrots. How many bananas are in a bunch? Older kids may be able to do some adding. For instance, there are 3 oranges in the bag now and how many with 2 more? If there is 1 jug of milk in the fridge at home and 2 more in the shopping cart how many jugs? The Express checkout says 10 items. Does your basket have 10 or more than 10? (photos-public-domain.com)

There’s lots of ways to have fun with numbers and help your little ones with kindergarten readiness when getting groceries. Does this 2 for 1 work for you?

Readiness for Kindergarten – Learning Fun At Home/Dishes

Another dishy readiness for kindergarten idea is 1 to 1 correspondence. While kids learn to say numbers when they are quite young actual counting comes later. They first have to understand that one number goes with one thing.

Setting the table is a meaningful activity to practice 1 to 1 correspondence. Each person needs 1 plate. With your child, name each person and put a plate out on the table or counter. Do the same thing with the forks and spoons. Does everybody get a knife or only the grownups?

When putting away the clean dishes, practice counting them. How many forks are there? And spoons? All this practice will help your child learn some valuable kindergarten readiness math, no matter how many people are coming to dinner.

Readiness for Kindergarten – Camping Rocks For Math

1 little, 2 little, 3 little round rocks…or sometimes they are not so round but they are great for some math. Math activities will certainly be part of the lessons and play at kindergarten but the more math experiences kids have before arriving at school the better will be their foundation. Here is a simple readiness-for-kindergarten idea for some math fun and learning that uses rocks.

Ask your child to find a rock for each person in your family or each person in your camping group. Set aside a space on the picnic table for these. Usually, this takes a while because kids change the rocks for different ones. Size may or may not be important for your child. What is important is that there is 1 rock for each person. This is called one-to-one correspondence and is a basic math concept. Kids need to understand this 1-to1 relationship first so they can link one number and one thing. While kids may be able to say lots of numbers in order they are not really counting until they have this idea that each number means one more thing.

Think of this rock activity as a stepping stone to kindergarten readiness! Does this rock for you?

Readiness for Kindergarten – Camping is 4 Counting

When camping with your kids, did you know that there are lots of ways to practice some kindergarten readiness math? Let me count the ways….Counting is one of the first math skills that children develop. Count the tent pegs, the number of people in the car, the plates on the picnic table, the towels on … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Camping is 4 Counting

Readiness for Kindergarten – Socks for Learning #3

I know I put an even number of socks in the laundry. Why is there 1 left over? Maybe I miscounted. Speaking of…. To help your child develop some kindergarten readiness early math skills, you can even use socks. The first skill that young children learn is counting. Simply practice counting all the socks. Then, … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Socks for Learning #3

Readiness for Kindergarten – Water Play & Learn

Water play helps develop some important readiness for kindergarten skills in terms of math. Math is based on the concepts of things being more than, less than or equal.  A sink or tub full of water and a few containers to fill and pour provide an opportunity for children to figure out these ideas of more, less … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Water Play & Learn

Readiness for Kindergarten – Sandbox Activities #3

In addition to lots of science learning in the sandbox, think of all the kindergarten readiness math. One understanding that children develop is that of more and less. While this seems pretty obvious to us, it isn’t to kids. They need lots of play time putting sand in a container and adding more. Or seeing that one container … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Sandbox Activities #3

Readiness for Kindergarten – Zero Doesn’t Count

Or does it? Zero is such a powerful idea that it was once considered privileged knowledge. Now, we all wish our bank account balance had more of them– in the right position, of course. As part of the general learning and discovering about numbers, having some fun with 0 can be considered part of readiness … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Zero Doesn’t Count

Readiness for Kindergarten – Fine With 9

Helping children develop their language skills seems much more natural than helping them learn about numbers and how they work. After all, talking, reading books, telling stories, singing, etc. all seem to blend into the day. As for math, we almost need to remind ourselves to pop in a few numbers every now and then … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Fine With 9

Readiness for Kindergarten – Gr8t Math

What number is the fastest? 8 is the fastest number because it really zooms–just ask a race track. Today, our kindergarten readiness fun will be the number 8 and our learning will really make tracks! Pirate treasure coins are called Pieces of 8. For some counting fun with your child, find a small box like … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Gr8t Math