Mathematics

I Spy

Play 'I Spy' with shapes and numerals! Check out elevators, license plates, building numbers, and food labels or recipes.

Collections

Make collections of special objects with your child, such as with pennies or rocks. Help count them and record your answers, make groups of different sizes to compare quantities, measure them, weigh them, sort them based on various attributes, and create patterns with them!

Story Problems

Come up with story problems using your child and their friends/family! For example: "Elliot had 5 children playing with him in John Jay. Then 3 children went home. How many are left playing?"

Counting

All day long you can find things to count with your child! Here of some examples:

• The people in your family

• The number of feet/eyes/hands/fingers in your family

• The number of steps you take between bedrooms or down the hallway

Math at Mealtimes

• Count the dishes, utensils, napkins, and cups as your child sets the table.

• As you cook/bake or prepare meals, have your child help you count and measure the ingredients.

More Games!

• Board games that require your child to count squares or tiles as they move across a board, such as Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders.

• Me - Using a deck of cards, players take turns pulling out a card and whoever has the highest number shouts "ME!" Challenge: Take two cards and add them up!

• Grab and Count - Close your eyes and grab a handful of small objects out of a large pile or bin and count them! Challenge: Use two hands!

• Body Patterns - Explain that your child will create patterns using their own body! Start by demonstrating a simple two-part action pattern and name the actions as you do them, e.g., touch thigh, clap hands; touch thigh, clap hands. Invite your child to follow along and take turns leading. Make the patterns more complex by using three or four actions.

• Counting Calisthenics - Perform a two-step action, (e.g., stand up, sit down), as you count, "One, two; one, two." Advance to a three-step action, (e.g., jump forward, jump backward, clap), as you count, "One, two, three; one, two, three." Continue adding steps until you get to five-step actions!