Pre-K: Math

Math Everywhere

Cultivate your child’s number sense by encouraging them to think mathematically throughout the day. Try some of these activities:

Plus one/minus one

During mealtimes, count food items and ask how many they would have if you added one more. “You have three strawberries. How many will you have if I put one more on your plate?” Try it with subtraction too, “I count four banana slices on your plate. How many will you have left if you eat one?”

More or less

Incorporate mathematical comparisons when you are playing together. “I have two stuffed animals on my lap, and you have four on your lap. Who has more?” Use the terms more, less,and the same as you compare items throughout the day: stacks of books, blueberries in a snack, or piles of puzzle pieces.

Pattern time

Get your child thinking about patterns by pointing them out whenever you see them at the grocery store, in the park, or in books. Practice making patterns by building towers using alternating color bricks or making a birthday card featuring a pattern made of stickers. You can make sound patterns with silly noises or clapping and tapping combinations. Thinking about patterns is foundational to understanding mathematics—activities like these can help set your child up for future mathematical success.