How to Help Your Child Learn Basic Math Skills

Although math doesn’t come easily to everyone, it is a skill that can be acquired and mastered with hard work. The earlier you get started introducing your child to basic math skills, the more comfortable they’ll be as these concepts are included throughout their time in school. Preschool-aged children are not too young to learn basic math concepts. You don’t have to wait for Kindergarten to help them master counting or even simple addition. Here are some tips for teaching basic math skills to your children:

1. Start With Counting

As “The Sound of Music” classic song goes, “Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.” Counting is the foundation of all math skills, and it’s something that can be taught even before your child enters preschool. Recite the numbers one through ten in the correct order. As your child masters this, you can count higher and higher.

2. Count Everyday Objects Together

Counting doesn’t stop with just reciting the numbers in order. You can put your child’s toys into small groups and count how many there are together. You can even let your child help you cook and count the ingredients you use. The possibilities for counting are endless — from buttons to cans of soup. As your child physically touches the objects they’re counting, they’ll begin thinking beyond just the numbers to how many items are before them.

3. Connecting to the Written Number

Even if your preschooler cannot yet read, they can still recognize numbers the more they’re exposed to them. You can purchase flashcards or puzzles with numbers on them so that your child can start identifying the written number. Pretty soon, they’ll be able to place the written number next to the number of objects, such as setting a “six” flashcard next to six apples.

4. Teach Basic Math Skills in Daily Life

You may be scared of the idea of teaching your child how to add or subtract, but it’s easy and can be included in your daily life. There are scenarios all around us:
  • You and your child are waiting in the dentist’s waiting room. Have them count how many people there are. If two people leave how many people are left?
  • You’re baking cookies for grandma. You have six cookies already, and you decide to bake six more. How many cookies will that make?
If you’re not intimidated and you patiently guide your child, there’s no end to what they can learn. As your child gets older, you can use these same scenarios to teach multiplication, division and even fractions.

5. Games and Activities You Can Play with Your Child to Help Them Learn Math Skills

There are tons of games out there that can help your child develop math skills. Teach them basic counting with dice games or the old favorites Hi Ho Cherry-O and Candy Land. Allow them to recognize numbers one to 100 by playing Chutes and Ladders. As your child gets a little older, classics like Monopoly, Yahtzee and Life promote both addition and subtraction skills.

6. Allow Children to Continue the Learning Process at FishCreek Kids Academy

If you’re a family living in the Woodlands, Woodforest, Montgomery, Magnolia or the surrounding communities, then turn to the trusted team at FishCreek Kids Academy to continue your child’s math development. We are more than a preschool and offer small class sizes to fit the demands of every age group’s developmental needs. For more information, contact us today.