Counting on the Body
Children are born
with the tools necessary to do simple math: their fingers. These lessons can
begin in infancy, carrying through preschool and into kindergarten, becoming
more complicated as skills are mastered. Start with by holding up one finger
and saying the number. From there, progress to alternating between the child
telling you how many fingers, or holding
up fingers to match a number you name.
Number Recognition
While your child is
learning to count, you can teach number identification. Make up a set of 10
index cards, each with a number from 1 to 10 printed on it in a large size, and
a corresponding number of objects drawn on the back. When your child holds up a
specific number of fingers, you show her the picture or number which
corresponds. As their knowledge increases, you can simply use the homemade
flash cards.
Sorting By Properties
The next step is to
learn that similar
items can be grouped together. You can use anything for your sets of
objects, from clothes to toys or brightly colored pictures. Show your
preschooler how items of a particular color or shape look the same, and then
ask them to sort them. For example, separate the shoes from the socks.
Sorting By Quantity
Now that your child
has learned to separate items by identifying their properties, it is time to count
the items in a set. Start with one type of item, slowly adding one item and
counting the number of items. Next, sort the items into groups and count the
number of, for example, triangles. This teaches more complex counting skills,
as well as the concepts of groups, sets, and properties. For example, there are
3 types (groups) of items, and each group contains a set of 4 items, while each
item is a different color.
Addition and Subtraction
By recognizing
properties and groups, addition and subtraction have been introduced. If there
are zero triangles, and you add one, there is one triangle. If you add a second
triangle, there are two. If you then add a circle, you have three items. Ask
your preschooler which group has more items, and how many items. With patience and practice, your preschooler will be able to count items, associate the number of items with the number that matches it, and be able to increase or decrease the number of items or even entire sets. They have also learned that items of different properties can be grouped into sets, and math can be performed on an entire set.
The Montessori method believes in teaching children through hands-on, interactive learning activities, such as learning math using objects found at home. At Montessori Children's House, we work with our preschoolers and their families to further develop their skills both in and our of school. Contact us today to schedule a tour.
