Q: What should I do beyond counting to prepare my daughter for math?
Skills
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Play is a great way to introduce your child to a wide variety of mathematical concepts. For example, engaging in pretend play helps children practice many important pre-math skills such as symbolic thinking and problem solving. Playing with blocks is another fun way to teach your child about basic math concepts such as size and shape. Encourage her to sort the blocks using different attributes (shape, color, size), or let her create fun patterns. Letting your daughter explore the different shapes and helping her create different animals or objects out of the blocks also helps teach her geometry. You can also make everyday routines playful by counting objects, or pointing out different shapes and patterns in her surroundings.
Jennie Ito, Ph.D.
Child Development Expert
Jennie Ito is a mother of two and a child development consultant who specializes in children’s play and toys. Before becoming a consultant for LeapFrog, she was an intern at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and later worked as a content expert for the Association of Children’s Museum’s “Playing for Keeps” Play Initiative. Jennie earned her doctorate degree in developmental psychology at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.