Mathematics - Wednesday

Perhaps it is my own lack of passion when it comes to math that makes me so desperately want my daughter to have a different relationship with all those numbers, patterns and formulas. So much of our world is made up of pattern recognition, spatial concepts and deductive reasoning that you don't have to look far to see that math--in its most basic elements--is something we use everyday (despite the many times that I whined "I'll never use this!" in nearly every math class I ever took). 

Lucky for me, PBS PARENTS has TONS of ideas for Mathematics at all ages. Fun ideas...so fun I don't even realize we are doing or thinking about mathematical concepts at times. 

All of our information and activities come from their site today. A very big Hat Tipped To them :)

Patterns, Reasoning & Algebra

PBS Skill Targeted: "Between 30-36 months, some children can classify, label and sort familiar objects by a known group (e.g., hard v. soft, large v. small, heavy v. light). The average child logically sorts and classifies during the second half of this year."

Activity:
Match 'Em Up

Directions: 
 

Figuring out which items go together helps your toddler develop early reasoning skills.

Note: To access these materials in PDF format, you can visit the original site here. 

Materials:

several household items that have a match or a corresponding part such as:

• a cooking pot and lid
• a pair of socks or slippers
• a fork and a spoon
• a comb and a hairbrush

Directions:

1. Separate the matching items into two groups. To play the game, choose an item from one of the groups and invite your toddler to find its match in the other group.
2. When you see that your child has grasped the concept, switch roles and you find the match to the item your child picks.
3. Continue in this way until all the items are matched.

Parent Pointers:

• You can play a similar matching game when you are folding the laundry (invite your toddler to help you match up all the socks, for example).
• When you go grocery shopping, your child can match one kind of food with another, such as cookies with milk or fruit with cereal, and explain the match.

Measurement

PBS Skill Targeted: "Throughout this year, a few two-year-olds will recognize, informally discuss, and develop language to describe attributes such as "big" or "small" (height/area/volume), "long" and "tall" or "short" (length/height), "heavy" or "light" (weight), and "fast" or "slow" (speed)."

Activity:
Bath Time! Math Time!

Directions: 

The next time you fill up the tub, make bath time math time as you explore "empty" and "full" and compare volumes.

Materials:

household containers such as:

• small pots
• plastic bowls
• measuring cups
• deli containers

1. Allow your child to play with containers during bath time. Join in, or set the example, by using your own container. Fill your container with water and explain what you're doing ("Look! My cup is full! No more water can fit in my cup."). Pour out the water to show empty ("I'm pouring out all the water. Now the cup is empty!") Invite your child to copy what you do. Encourage your child to use the words "full" and "empty" to describe what is happening.
2. Choose two containers, one smaller than the other, and give the smaller to your child. Wonder aloud whether the containers hold the same amount of water. Does yours hold more than, the same amount as, or less than your child's? Pour the water from your container into your child's and talk about what happens. ("Oops! There's not going to be enough room. My container isn't empty yet and yours is already full!").
3. You can do this several times and then give your child a container larger than yours for you to pour into. Discuss what happens. ("Hmm. My water is all gone but your container isn't full."). Take turns pouring and holding the different-size containers.
4. Another bath time, invite your child to be the leader, choose a container, and then tell you to find either a smaller or bigger one to pour into. Repeat the activity as long as your child enjoys it. Talk about what's happening each time ("Look, I'm filling your container. Uh-ohhh ... your container isn't full yet and mine is already empty!").

Parent Pointers:

• This activity helps with volume measurement.
• Adaptation for infants: Allow your child to play with containers as described in step 1. Add additional steps as soon as your child can participate.
• Extension for older children: Include different-shaped containers that present more of a challenge in anticipating volume. With increasing experience, introduce the standard measuring tools such as a cup, a half cup, and a tablespoon for further experimentation.

Geometry & Spatial Sense

PBS Skill Targeted: "Help youngsters explore their place in their environment. The ability to locate and change positions in space is an important first step in understanding geometry."

Activity:
Walk The Line

Directions: 

These balancing and movement activities are a great way to help youngsters explore their place in their environment. The ability to locate and change positions in space is an important first step in understanding geometry.

Materials:

• 3" x 5" cards
• black marker
• length of rope about 8 feet long   (OR Sidewalk Chalk - Little Miss I and I will do this outside today!)
• an open space for movement
• bean bag (older kids can hold this on their head throughout the game)

1. Invite your child to help you make a list of different ways to move your body, using the rope as your guide. Write the movements on 3" x 5" cards, one movement per card. Here are some suggestions to get you started:
   • walk slowly (or fast) on the rope
   • walk on tippy-toes
   • balance on left foot (or right foot) for 5 seconds
   • walk with one foot on the rope, the other on the floor
   • walk with a beanbag on your head
2. Lay the rope on the floor in a straight line. Place the pile of cards face down and invite your child to join you. Explain that you will take turns turning over the cards one at a time and doing whatever the top card says.
3. Have your child turn over the first card, and read it together. Then, YOU DO what the card says. Next, turn over a card, and YOUR CHILD DOES what it says. Take turns in this way until all the cards have been tried at least once

Parent Pointers:

• Playing background music adds to the fun.
• For older children, expand the movements to include running and jumping, and walking backward on the rope. You can also use the above movements in a game of Simon Says.