Recognizing zero

To extend your child's thinking about numbers include zero (0) in your counting sequences when counting forward and backwards.

e.g. 0, 1, 2, 3, 4...

e.g. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0


Talk about zero meaning none or nothing

Counting on

As mentioned in previous postings number rhymes, songs, stories and games are a great way for children to become familiar with saying and using numbers in fun and meaningful ways. When children are quite competent counting to ten (and then later to twenty) try adding a bit more challenge by starting counting at a number other than 1.

e.g. 5, 6, 7, 8...

Colours

Encourage your child to learn their colours. You can support this by talking about the colour of things e.g. The grass is green....The black dog is eating....You are wearing your red t shirt.

Asking your child to get things for you using colour clues is a fun way to learn the colours e.g. Can you get Daddy the black hammer...Where is mummy's green sock?...Pass me the red sauce...

Have fun with colours by putting cellophane on windows at home or making cellophane mobiles that hang at the child's sight level. Make different cellophane coloured glasses or binoculars from old cardboard tubes from gladwrap/tinfoil. Crystals hanging in windows make wonderful colour patterns that can be discussed. After rain look for rainbows and identify the colours together.

Writing numbers

Give your child opportunities to write numbers. At kindergarten we have charts with the numbers to 20. The tamariki (children) enjoy writing these numbers. It is great practice for them in forming the numbers. Don't be alarmed if their formation is not accurate. Remember small children are still developing their coordination skills and fine motor skills require longer to develop with each child developing these at different rates.

Ideas:

• Old calendars are great for children to use.
  
• Letter box numbers are fun to trace around
• Try tracing number stencils.
• Make numbers in the sand at the beach (start with child's age, house number etc)
• Put large numbers on your child's bedroom wall (or get number frieze)
• Buy number magnets for your child to play with (name them for child then let them)
• Buy or borrow from library, number puzzles

Remember to count with your child regularly so they become familiar with the number names and the order of the numbers. Start counting forwards firstly 1-5, then when that's learned try counting 1-10, then 1-20. Once the forward counting is mastered count backwards following similar pattern with 5-1, 10-1, 20-1.

Don't forget to count in your native tongue too if English is not your first language.

Number rhymes and songs

Encourage your child to count through singing songs and chanting rhymes. Do the actions and count on those fingers and toes too to help reinforce the concepts.

Rhymes/songs:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 once I caught a fish alive (counting to ten)

Ten little Indian boys (teaches counting to ten and back from ten too)

10 fat sausages sizzling in the pan (concept of subtraction)

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Five little ducks went out one day

Ten in the bed

Five little peas

Two little Dickie Birds sitting on the wall

Ten green bottles sitting on the wall and if one green bottle should accidently fall...

Maori numbers 1-10

1 tahi

2 rua

3 toru

4 wha

5 rima

6 ono

7 whitu

8 waru

9 iwa


10 tekau

Pick up sticks and dominoes

This evening I spent half and hour playing dominoes and pick up sticks with my 5 year old daughter, Bronya. What fun we had! And what a great opportunity for using some of Bronny's mathematical skills and knowledge. Playing dominoes she was able to recognize number patterns, count, compare numbers (using language like same, more, less....and realizing more means I WIN!) and make patterns (its amazing what you can make with dominoes while still sticking to the rules!). The pick up sticks involved making choices, having strategies to solve problems, counting and applying rules related to balance and points of contact (lines, intersections, weight, perspectives). Fascinating watching children apply what they know, listening to their self talk and making assumptions about what we think they are thinking when they are doing rather than saying!

Games offer a wonderful opportunity to teach mathematical skills as these old photos of my children show.

Jo