Math Play & Learning

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Developmental Milestones Infants & Toddlers Play & Learning Activities Preschool Age Children School Age Children

Practicing math skills through play

Play is critical to mathematical development in young children. It allows them to use their curiosity and creativity, develop critical thinking skills, engage with others to solve problems, and strengthen focused attention. In the resources below, you’ll learn about the lasting impact of play-based learning on mathematical development and how you can best support your child’s growth through play.

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Winter STEM Challenges

Build together.

Young children love to build with difference materials. Ask questions as you play that encourage mathematical thinking, like "Which tower is shorter?" or "How many more blocks do you need to make the building taller the table?"

Bake together.

We use math every day in the kitchen. Practice math skills by measuring ingredients with measuring cups or following the sequence of a recipe.

Dance together.

Music is one of the first ways we experience math. Turn on a favorite song, find the beat, and clap or move along. Try counting the beats as you go!

Play together.

Play basic card games, like Go Fish, or board games, like Candy Land, to practice counting and number recognition.

Math Skills by Age

What to expect at different ages

Math skills are developed at every day, starting from birth. Read more about how to support their developing skills at each age.

Infant

Start to understand cause and effect (ex: shaking a rattle makes noise)
Begin to predict a sequence of events (ex: like sitting in the highchair means feeding time)

Toddler

Understand that numbers mean “how many” (ex: using fingers to show how old they are)
Understand words that compare, describe and measure (ex: in, faster, taller, under)
Start to explore measurement by filling and emptying containers (ex: Filling containers full and half-full in the bathtub)

Preschool

Understand that numerals stand for number name (ex: 3 stands for three)
Can compare, contrast, and sort using color, shape, size, and purpose (ex: The blue car goes faster than the green car.)
Start predicting cause and effect (ex: What will happen if they leave an ice cube out?)

Kindergarten

Recognize numbers up to 20
Begin to understand basic time concepts and more complex sequences (ex: In the morning, I wake up, have breakfast, and go to school.)
Can follow two- to three-step directions that use first and next (ex. First, put on your coat. Next, put on your mittens, then put on your hat.)

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Supporting Math Skills at Home

Young children can learn important math skills while playing! As the adult you can support them by modeling counting, creating problems to solve, and providing toys that encourage sorting and measuring. Learn more about how you can encourage math learning at home using play.

I LOVED this webinar and definitely added to my mom toolbox. I would love to attend more of your meetings, especially related to this type of subject.

Courtney James

parent

Diving Deeper

One-to-one Correspondence

One-to-one correspondence is the skill of touching and counting one object at a time. It is a foundational skill that develops counting and future number sense skills, like addition and subtraction.

Try: Using an ice cube tray, put one rock in each slot and count as you go!

Learn More

Diving Deeper

Kindergarten Readiness

The most important skills a child can develop prior to kindergarten are their social and emotional skills. It is with a strong foundation in these skills that children best learn.

Try: Reading books about feelings and how to manage those feelings!

Understanding Behaviors and Emotions

Diving Deeper

Math Vocabulary

When we use math vocabulary in our everyday routines, young children, even infants, develop a deeper foundation in mathematics.

Try: Counting toys and describing placement as you are cleaning-up. You can say, “There should be five blocks in the box. Will you count them to make sure they are all there?”

Learn More

Featured Resource

Supporting Math at Home

Math is everywhere. That’s great news for parents, because we can talk with our kids about math in fun, natural ways. Discover our play-based tips for supporting the development of math skills at home!