17 simple & fun math activities for your child
How can you make math fun for your child? We have a few interesting activities for your child
Mathematics evokes different memories and emotions in us! Some of us have struggled, while some of us have had the most amazing experience.
Honestly, my experience with Math has been bittersweet. I love the way mathematical concepts are introduced to children at a young age.
Have you noticed how your child learns to discern between big and small, identify a number as a pattern, or call out numbers at random?
Math covers everything from numbers, shapes, measurement to addition, skip-counting, multiplication, and complex topics such as trigonometry, calculus, and more. It is a broader spectrum.
Math in early years
Let’s be honest, math is everywhere and we as adults use it in an unnoticeable manner — sorting the clothes by colors, when we compare between big and small, while baking, etc.
From an early age, children are attuned to concepts such as ‘more or less’, terms of comparison, etc. They learn this from the adults around them, i.e. you! Their experience with math is intrinsically connected to your relationship with math!
Make math part of your everyday dialogue. It can be when you are eating, sorting, walking, jumping, etc. Anything that you do include a dash of math.
If you are not sure of a concept, tell your child that you are going to understand this and explain it to them. Eg: If you’re unsure of how a number line works, you can explain how you are going to learn and explain.
Allow your child to not be afraid to learn new math concepts. It is okay for them to make mistakes. When you focus on solving a math problem, instead of the final answer, you are giving them a nurturing space to explore and learn
When you promote a healthy relationship with math from early years, it goes a long way in building a strong foundation!
So parents, let’s go on a mission to make math fun for our kids with these simple and engaging activities. Pssst! There is no screen time involved!
17 Easy-peasy math activities for your child
1) Number patterns
The tripod grip, required for holding writing tools, develops only around 3.5–4 years. So, this activity is primarily suitable for toddlers and preschools. You can make this an interesting craft activity. Cut out the numbers in a bigger size; allow your child to dip their finger in paint and trace. Or, you can get them to stick colored papers along the number pattern.
2) Clay numbers
Settle down with some playdough and your child. I prefer using child-friendly clay. Show them how to form numbers and mathematical symbols. Depending on your child’s age group, you can introduce them to complex concepts such as addition, subtraction, etc. Your child’s sensory and fine motor senses are enhanced, apart from numerical skills.
3) Let’s compare
You can have fruits and vegetables or colored newspaper balls in different sizes. Introduce your child to terms such as ‘big’ and ‘small; ‘long’ and ‘short’; etc. Encourage your child to pick up when you call out the term. You can also point to the things and prompt them to use the terms.
4) Shape Talk
Cut out different shapes in multiples. Introduce each shape at a time if your child is younger. Give them some paint and allow them to paint on the shapes. You can make this complex for older kids, who can use a pair of scissors. Draw shapes on paper and ask them to cut the shapes out and color using a paintbrush. You can introduce your little one to shapes in 3D as well.
5) Jump on numbers
Let’s give the gross motor muscles some work! Write numbers, one below the other, on the sidewalk, pathway in your garden, your backyard, or your living room. Call out the numbers and prompt your child to walk and jump on the number. You can increase the complexity depending on your little one’s age!
6) Time to sort
Sorting is an amazing activity where you can introduce concepts such as colors, geometric shapes, numbers, etc. If your child understands a single instruction, they get them to sort by one aspect. Eg: Sort by colors or shapes. If your child is old enough, make it complex by asking them to sort by color, shape, size in one go!
7) Big to small
Cut out circles, take your child’s toys, or use the utensils of different sizes — a minimum of 3 sizes: small, medium, big. Encourage your little one to arrange them from small to big or big to small. If your child is comfortable with numbers, you can encourage them to write numbers on small pieces of paper and arrange from small to big or big to small.
8) I spy number
“I spy with my little eyes the number …!” Write the numbers in a bigger size and place them in different places in a room. Then, go ahead and play this game. If your child is older, you can include concepts of addition or subtraction, instead of directly mentioning the number
9) Group them
Group counting is an essential mathematical concept where your child sorts and counts in a broader manner. Eg: When you say form groups of 5, they group 5 elements and continue till they have formed sets of 5. For a child in kindergarten, this can be used to introduce addition, multiplication, etc. You can make use of pom-poms, colored papers, or small toys for this activity.
10) Star count
If your child is old enough to use a pair of scissors, give them some fine motor exercise by asking them to cut out stars. Let them there be stars of different colors and write the numbers on them. Include mathematical symbols if they are old enough for addition, subtraction, etc. For younger children, you can simply ask them to sort the stars by colors & count! You can introduce the idea of the total number of stars to them.
11) Number puzzles
Create your number puzzles depending on your child’s age. If your child is beginning to learn numbers as patterns or old enough to identify numbers, then the puzzles can be about putting the numbers together. If your child is older, you cut out print-outs of different things and add numbers at the bottom. Let them re-arrange to complete the pictures. This makes number sequencing easy for them.
12) Sing the numbers
“One little, two little, three little engines…!” Number rhymes like this one are a wonderful way to make counting and sequencing fun! For kindergarteners, you may introduce other mathematical concepts by using the tune of a popular rhyme. This enables a good recall.
13) Lesser than vs greater than
For a toddler or preschooler, this concept can be introduced visually. Give them pom-poms and call out two numbers. Then, introduce how one number is bigger than the other. Do this activity only after your child becomes comfortable with numbers. For kindergarteners, you can introduce this concept visually or you can write numbers on small squared sheets and encourage them to write the greater than or lesser than symbols. Introduce the concept of ‘equal to’ as well.
14) Number treasure hunt
Hide a few things and give your child the list. Depending on their age, you can make it complex. For a younger age group, it can be about counting. Your child runs around to find them, then settles down to count or add. This improves their confidence in understanding different mathematical concepts.
15) Raindrops in clouds
Make big cut-outs of clouds and for raindrops, you can create them or you can use pom-poms. Call out the numbers and encourage your child to count and place the raindrops. You can ask them to fill the cloud with raindrops and count how many raindrops are there. For kindergarteners, you can enable them to count, place, and do a mathematical function such as addition, subtraction, etc.
16) Color by numbers
When you combine coloring activity with numbers, it is a numerically colorful activity! For toddlers and preschoolers, you can give them 3–4 numbers/colors. Initially, it can be just two colors, and then you can progress. For kindergarteners, give images with colors/number codes. Prompt them to call out the numbers, colors, and then fill the picture with colors. You can introduce numbers from any number order. It needn’t be just from 1 to 10. This way you are reinforcing numbers. You can include mathematical functions too!
17) Skip-count & play
Skip-counting is a complex concept in general for a kindergartener but it is essential as they would require this for their later schooling years. Write numbers from 1 to 100 on ice cream sticks. Encourage your child to count by 1s and then slowly increase it to 2s, 5s, 10s, 3s, etc. For a younger age, it can just be a simple number sequencing. Depending on your child’s age group, you can introduce those many numbers. For a kindergartener, you can ask them to help you write the numbers on the ice cream sticks too.
To conclude: Make math fun!
How we encourage the relationship with numbers and other math concepts forms the base for your child’s future mathematical journey.
Math is not only about the subject, but its implication in real-life situations also matters. Eg: Vendor-customer transaction, sorting clothes, understanding quantity while baking, etc.
Have a healthy math chat with your child. It can be while cooking, it can be while on a walk, it can be while playing a sport, etc. This makes the learning more multi-dimensional instead of just pen on paper.
So, you are ready for some math fun?
