Count everything
As you go up steps, eat cookies or berries, pick flowers, put up Lego's, people standing in line, pieces of grass they collected, ANYTHING & EVERYTHING
Go on a scavenger hunt and gather up items around the house such as, markers, cars, stuffed animals, etc.
Put them in stacks and count them with your child. Separate them and count how many markers vs. how many cars
Sing counting songs (5 little Monkeys, 5 Speckled Frogs, etc.)
Card Games
From UNO, Go Fish, War, etc. These are fun and easy ways to get to know numbers and their relation to each other.
Uno can help teach numbers and colors
War can help teach numbers and bigger/smaller number
Cook Together
Include your child when you cook. Have them count the cups of milk, the tablespoons of margarine, or the eggs when you cook. Show them the recipe as you cook so they can follow along.
Build a Playhouse
All kids love to take part in building forts and playhouses. A nice bonus is that they'll begin to pick up geometry through using measurements & angles.
Plan and build a Lego fort. Talk about shapes, colors, size, etc.
Give Them Puzzles
Puzzles can provide valuable spatial lessons. Have your child look at the colors too when trying to match puzzle pieces.
Tangrams (geometric shapes that can be put together to create pictures and new shapes) are another great tool.
Simple Games where math can be included
Count candy (look at shapes, colors, and how many)
Roll dice & count the dots, add the numbers, create a simple graph to track how many times you roll each number
Activity books: can have games like connect the dots, color by number, etc.
Hopscotch: Make sure to say the numbers out loud as you play, talk about the colors of chalk you used.
"I spy": Take turns playing "I spy". Look around your room and say, "I spy something we have two of (or three of)..." It could be cushions on the couch, pictures on the wall, cups on the table, etc.
Read counting books
Check out counting books from the library. Read counting books to your child. Have him practice counting as you read the book.
Edgebrook Library Website + phone # (312) 744-8313
Learning phone numbers
Using a toy telephone, have your child practice punching in important phone numbers.
Write the phone numbers out for them. Help them read the numbers and press the numbers on the phone.
Make a counting book
You can purchase a blank book at an educational supply store or make your own with construction paper and a three-hole punch. On each page have your child draw or trace a number.
Have him draw items such as balls, worms, or smiley faces to correspond with the number.
Make pages for one to ten. Then as they begin to master 1-10 add on numbers 11, 12, 13 and on.