Math can be challenging for children in the preschool age, especially when learning math facts like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Some may complain about it, and some may feel that they are not good at it. As a result, they may feel discouraged and leads them not to learn the subject. But you don’t have to worry as this is just part of their development. You don’t need to pressure your kids to learn math. Instead, you have to stimulate them properly. Your child may not be good at math, but they will love to learn and progress on their math skills by integrating fun activities into their daily lives.
You can change your kid’s way of thinking about the subject by introducing fun activities and games. It will enable them to connect what they are doing with their previous knowledge of math facts. Thus, they will be able to absorb what they are learning.
The Importance of Developing Your Kids Math Skills at an Early Age
Math skills are essential skills a child needs to have a greater chance of success in life. Developing math skills at an early age will give a child the confidence to face any challenges that may come, whether in school or life. Other valuable reasons why you need to develop your kid’s math skills include:
1. It helps your kids develop problem-solving skills
2. It improves your kids’ self-esteem
3. It enhances their critical thinking skills
4. It fosters creativity and imagination, which will help them as they grow older
5. Improves their reading comprehension skills
6. Helps your children acquire a sense of accomplishment and confidence
Your role as a parent includes preparing your child for the future and teaching them different skills, especially math. Make your children interested in learning math by engaging them in fun math activities. But, finding activities that will stimulate their interest is not an easy task to do. To help you out, we have included in this article some math activities that will help your kids enjoy learning math.
Fun Math Activities for Preschoolers
1. Build and Measure Block Center
It is a fun and interactive center where your kids can learn about measurement. If you have a measuring tape and building blocks, then your child can enjoy this activity. Your child may use blocks available in your homes like foam blocks, mega blocks, and wooden blocks. You need to stick the measuring tape on the wall and challenged your kids to build towers as tall as the measuring tape. You can find further information about this activity by visiting Play Teach Repeat.
2. Fine Motor Counting Math Tray
This easy-to-set-up math activity is an excellent way of developing fine motor skills while practicing counting and number recognition. For this activity, you can use foam numbers and wooden clothespins, and a tray. This activity is ideal for three-year-old kids.
3. Number Pocket Game
It is another activity that aims to develop your child’s ability to recognize numbers. All you need to do is find craft sticks and library cardholders. Label the cardholder and craft sticks with numbers, then stick the cardholder on the wall. Next, ask your child to place the numbered craft sticks into the holder having the same number.
4. Roll and Dot the Number
It is an activity your child can enjoy in their daily leisure time. It is fun and very effective in helping kids learn numbers and nurture number sense. This roll and dot the number activity is easy to set up as it only requires few materials like dice, a marker, and a printable, which is free to download. It is one of the most favorite activities among kids.
5. Star Number Cards
Kids like to do an activity when it’s exciting and pleasing to their eyes. That is why playing with shapes like stars is an ideal way to catch their interest. In addition, star number cards are a fun way to introduce numbers to your kids and learn the basics of counting and matching objects to a corresponding number.
6. Finding the Balloons
It is easy and fun. First, you have to label the balloons with numbers ranging from 1 to 10 or more. Next, you have to place the balloons in each corner of your house and then ask your child to find the balloon correctly. So they need to start finding a balloon that starts with one; when he finds a number out of order, he needs to put it back and find the correct one. Finding the balloons is an ideal activity to practice recognizing numbers and memory.
7. Making Patterns
Patterns are necessary math skills that a child can use later in life. And you help can nurture it in your child at an early age. This activity is easy to set as it uses few common supplies like an ice cube tray and buttons. To do this activity, you need to use an AB pattern, a pattern with only two items repeating. You will be surprised how your child will enjoy this activity. For further information, you may visit Busy Toddler.
8. Car Parking Numbers Game
This game is appropriate for kids as they will need to practice the following skills: observation, counting, and matching. It may be too easy for them, but it is great for building their confidence and developing math skills. For this activity, you may need a box for the parking lot base and model cars.
9. Play Dough Geometry
An excellent way of introducing shapes to a child is by letting your child create them. The experience they will encounter in doing this activity will allow them to learn the concept of shapes. Thus, they will be able to apply those learnings by the time they go to school. In doing this activity, your child needs to use playdough for making shapes and other materials. Once everything is set, your child is ready to explore geometry.
10. Car Color Sort
Kids love cars, so make sure that you take advantage of this interest to teach them basic sorting skills. You have to set this activity outside your house; materials like sidewalk chalk are necessary for this activity. First, use the sidewalk chalk to draw circles on the driveway, then let your kid sort the cards by color. It will make them enjoy and learn as well. You can also find other fun activities by visiting The Educators Spin On It.
11. Counting and Measuring with Lego
Lego is one of the most popular items most kids want, and it is also a valuable tool for learning basic math concepts. For this activity, you need a couple of Duplo blocks in different colors, label them with numbers from 1 to 20 on the sides, using a marker. Then challenge your child to build a tall tower in proper order. This way, your child will count the number of blocks they put on the tower and measure it. You can find more details here.
12. Button Counting Activity
Like most activities here, the button counting activity doesn’t require many materials to enjoy it. You need colored buttons and the teddy bear counting cards, which you can download for free at Fun Learning for Kids. For this activity, your kid needs to match the numbers on the teddy bear counting cards with the number of buttons. It is an excellent way of developing your kid’s number recognition.
13. Roll and Count
This counting activity is excellent for practicing one-to-one correspondence. This simple game is easy to set up as it only requires few materials. It is a good way for your child to understand the purpose of counting and will learn fast. You can find further information about this activity by visiting Buggy and Buddy.
14. Shape Sorter
Another way of teaching the concepts of geometry is by making a shape sorter for your child. If you have available oatmeal canisters or containers, you can use them in making your shape sorter. Next, draw shapes on top (like cube or cylinder) and cut around the outlines. When finished, your child is ready to play. The goal of this activity is to put the correct 3d shape in the correct hole.
15. Counting Bear Number Strips
These activities are a hands-on way for preschoolers to learn counting and colors. To know more about this unique activity, you may visit Fun Learning for Kids.
As you see in this article, there are multiple fun activities that you can use to help your child learn math concepts. It may not be the most effective way to improve your child’s math skills, but over time, it will do more good for your kid than you can imagine.
I hope this article will help you learn how to teach your kids math concepts in a fun and exciting manner.
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