Math is all around us, and it’s never too early to introduce your little ones to basic math concepts. Babies and toddlers are naturally curious and can grasp foundational math ideas through play and everyday activities. By incorporating simple and fun math activities into your daily routine, you can help your child develop a love for math from an early age.
Why is Early Math Important?
According to research, early exposure to math concepts can have a significant impact on a child’s cognitive development and future academic success. Did you know, early math skills are strong predictors of later academic achievement, even more so than early reading skills? Even for our wee little ones, early math matters. Engaging your child in math-related activities can enhance their problem-solving abilities, logical thinking, and understanding of the world around them.
Three Simple Ways to Introduce Math Concepts To Littles
1. Counting with Everyday Objects
Counting is one of the most basic math skills, and it can be easily incorporated into daily life routines. Count objects around the house, such as toys, books, or even food items during mealtime. For example, "Let’s count the apples in the bowl. One, two, three!"
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2. Sorting and Categorizing
Sorting and Categorizing objects by color, shape, or size helps develop your child’s ability to recognize, patterns and make comparisons. Use everyday items like blocks, buttons, or socks to create a sorting game. For instance, ask your child to sort blocks by color or group socks by size.
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3. Shape Recognition
Play with shape sorters, puzzles, and books that emphasize different shapes. Point out shapes in the environment, such as circles in wheels or squares in the windows. Ask your child to identify shapes during walks or playtime.
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You see, introducing early math concepts to your baby and toddler is as easy as 1, 2, 3, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. By incorporating simple counting, sorting, and shape recognition activities into your daily life, you can help your child build a strong foundation in math. Remember, the goal is to make math fun and engaging, fostering a positive attitude toward learning.
Find these three titles and lots of other Baby and Toddler Counting Books at your local Free Library of Philadelphia branch:
Baby's Numbers by Karen Katz
Simply labeled illustrations introduce readers to the numbers one to ten.
Seek and Count by Yusuke Yonezu
Count the colorful images, lift the flap and then count some more.
Baby 1 2 3 by Deborah Donenfeld
A companion to BABY ABC, this concept board book features black-and-white photographs of babies interacting with objects that correspond to the featured number, 1 through 10. The object is in color and coordinates with the number featured, making the connection easy and understandable for non-readers
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