We have often presented the importance of play on learning. Playful academic instruction for young children makes it so that early educators do not need to choose between play and teaching academic knowledge & skills.
There has been abundant research studies that proven that preschoolers can enjoy learning math and can learn more mathematical concepts than previously assumed when it is done playfully. Preschool teachers agree that mathematical understanding in the early years is a strong predictor of later academic success, even across a range of subjects.
How can parents and teachers work together to form an early understanding of mathematics in an enjoyable way for young children? Push the worksheets and flash cards aside and opt for enticing lessons in the form of board games, scavenger hunts, object sorting, and card games.
Board games can foster a children’s mathematical development by giving them concrete ways to represent numbers and even hypothetical number lines. Scavenger hunts to collect a certain number of objects combines math with the fun of treasure hunting & hide and seek. Sorting objects by size and color or other attributes can help children with early problem solving skills.
Purposeful play is the best way to enhance a child’s learning skill since they easily become engaged in problem solving, reasoning, and recall. During purposeful play with peers, siblings, parents or teachers, opportunities for mathematical thinking & concepts emerge naturally. For example: What do you need to do to make a tower of blocks taller? How many cars can fit on the back of the truck? How many chickens, cows, or pigs do you see? Additionally, infusing mathematics in play helps children develop essential social skills, especially sharing & taking turns during games.
Young children learn best with hands-on experiences, so it’s ideal to make math real by teaching it in the context of children’s everyday learning. The home and classroom are brimming with opportunities to integrate math into children’s routines and activities. If you would like to find out how enrolling your child into our Avalon Park area preschool can help develop their math skills and understanding, contact our early education educators today. Stop by and visit our incredible campus complete with technology & STEAM rooms that create the perfect environment for mathematical play & exploration.