By Amy Napoli, Ph.D., UNL Assistant Professor & Early Childhood Extension Specialist
Many parents report that time is their biggest barrier to teaching their children. Because there are limited hours in the day, math is the topic that often gets left out. However, it is important to recognize we do not have to set aside specific time dedicated only to math. Math concepts can be incorporated into activities and routines you are already doing. These strategies can help you maximize your time, and also show children how math applies in real world settings. It takes intentional effort, but once you have made math engagement a norm, your child will initiate many of the interactions.
1. Eating — Help your child set the table. How many people are eating the meal? Each person needs one plate, fork and napkin. Meal and snack time also provide a great opportunity to expose your child to mathematical language terms. (Would you like more carrots? Who has the most bread?) You can also count small snacks like raisins or crackers and ask questions. (How many will you have if I give you one more? How many will you have left after you eat two?)
2. Reading — While reading to your child, try asking math-related questions and initiating math-related conversations. (How many ducks can you see? Let’s count the animals with two legs and the animals with four legs and add them up.)
3. Driving — While you are in the car or on the bus, you can help your child count and compare the things you see. Turn it into a game! “You count the red cars and I’ll count the blue cars. Then we can compare them and see if we saw more red or blue cars.” or “I noticed that car is stopped. You look for a car that is moving.”
4. Playing — Think about some ways you can incorporate math into playing with your child’s favorite toys. Does your child like dinosaurs? Sort them (by color, size, etc.) and then count the groups. Which group has the most? Which group has the fewest? Then try sorting them by a different trait and compare the groups again.
5. Talking — Ask questions that prompt your child’s mathematical thinking. Sometimes your child will say things that surprise you or respond incorrectly to a question. Rather than immediately correcting, try to find the right answer together. Ask follow-up questions that help your child figure it out on their own. This is also a good strategy when your child responds correctly. Try prompting with “Wow! How did you figure that out?” or “Show me why you think there would be three.”
The most important thing to remember when engaging your child in math is to have fun. Set an example that math engagement is a positive and enjoyable experience. The interaction should center on a positive experience with you, with math learning as an added bonus.
Peer Reviewed by Lynn DeVries, Extension Educator, and Linda Reddish, Extension Educator