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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Kids Can Improve Math Skills Through Play


kids can improve math skills through play
If you hand a young child two containers and sit him or her down in a sandbox or kiddy pool, chances are the child will begin to play by filling and pouring substances from one container to the other. Is this just a simple means for children to have fun or is something more happening here?

This is a great example of how kids can improve math skills through play. While toddlers certainly find it fun to measure and pour, they learn important lessons in permanence and arithmetic at the same time. Similarly, when children build towers and fit stacking cups together, they are experimenting with size, shape, amounts and even physics. Eventually, gravity will knock that tower over!

What can you do to help your kids’ math skills improve through play? Here are four ideas:

  • Supervise pouring and measuring activities. Whether at the beach, in the bathroom, at the kitchen sink or in the backyard, kids can measure and pour different substances, such as water, sand, soil, gravel, beads and dry rice. Get involved by asking your child to guess how many small containers he or she thinks it will take to fill a larger container. With supervision, children can even pour and measure frozen peas, pasta or rice when cooking in the kitchen.
  • Combine math and reading. Many counting books combine your children’s love of reading with the chance to improve math skills. Read with your children often and help them count the objects on the page.
  • Sing counting rhymes. "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" and "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" are just two examples of well-known counting rhymes. Sing these with your children whenever an appropriate occasion arises, such as on a road trip or while waiting in line at the grocery store.
  • Play number games. ListenLoveLearn Toys has a specific category of numbers/counting games for children ages 3 to 5. Building blocks, monster bingo and a toy cash register are just a few options for teaching numbers and counting skills.

To learn more about how kids can improve math skills through play, please contact ListenLoveLearn.

Image via Shutterstock.com

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