Step 2: Math Talk – At Home
As you go about your household routines and activities together, there are many mathematical
conversations to have with your child.
Putting things away
Talk about which things belong together. Do things that are the same shape go together? Is there a special place for round things or triangular things?
Clothes
If you are sorting clothes that are about to be washed or have just been washed, talk about colors, shapes, and sizes. When picking up clothes or putting them away, talk about why some clothes go in one place and others go in other places.
Going to sleep and getting up
These times lend themselves to discussing doing things in order, and practicing words like first, second, third, last, and next.
Discuss as you read
Storytime is a wonderful chance to do math with your child in a cozy setting. Talk about the characters and the things in the pictures. If there is a big yellow sun, point to the sun and say: “The sun is round and it is yellow. The wall of this room is also yellow. Point to something round in this room.”
As your child gets older, count together by pointing, such as the yellow flower petals in a picture, or ask your child to point to things you describe.
Food
Whether putting food away, cooking food, or setting things out for mealtime, there are many opportunities for math. Different kinds of food should be put away in particular places – this is a good time for relationship words like inside, under, and over.
Cooking involves measuring quantities, talking about lengths of time, and describing the desired result for the food. Setting things out for mealtime involves setting out the appropriate number of things so that each person gets what they need.
Playing with objects
Compare objects when constructing things for play or other uses. Which one is taller? Can you make one thing taller, wider, bigger, or the same as the other? Describe and compare the sizes, numbers, and colors of things you have or that are in pictures.