Preschool Math Activities

Preschool math activities can be a lot of fun with a hands-on approach.
The more a child can "touch" his/her math, the easier they should be able to understand and remember it.

Math involves more than just numbers. It also involves identifying shapes, telling the difference between larger and smaller, ordering, sorting and much more. Here are some preschool math activities to do with your children that show math in everyday life.

Identifying Shapes
Identifying shapes is a fun skill for young children. Draw different shapes on a piece of paper. If your child doesn't know the difference between an oval and a circle, explain the difference. Hunt together through out your house for the different shapes on your paper.

Distinguishing between larger and smaller
Provide your child with 10 objects of the same kind(eg. buttons, plastic toy animals, blocks,etc) of various sizes.
Ask him to put them in a row from the largest to the smallest. Repeat this activity a few times. You can also vary the instruction from smallest to largest.

Counting down on a calendar
Mark on your calendar an upcoming event that your child is looking forward to. Choose something that is not too far off.
Count how many "sleeps" until that day arrives. Mark an "x" on each day that passes-bringing the special day closer.
Help your child understand the number of days to wait is reduced as each day passes.

Reading temperature

Find a thermometer. Fill a small bowl with water that has just boiled. Remind your child it is very hot! Place the thermometer in the water and watch together as the mercury rises. Help your child read the temperature of the water. Fill another bowl with cold water and a handful of ice cubes. Allow the water to cool. Put the thermometer in this bowl. Watch the mercury fall. Help your child read the temperature.

Understanding the value of numbers

Take your child to his/her bedroom. Ask her to look around the room with you to find items that correspond with the numbers from 1 to 10. Ask him to find something of one in his room. Maybe one bed, one window, one door. Can he find two of something? Two lamps, two chairs, two books? Keep up the game until you reach ten.

Measuring:

Teach your child to measure things using his own feet. Ask your child to stand without shoes on a piece of paper or cardstock.
Draw around the outline of his feet and help him to cut out the shapes.
Ask your child to use the cut-out feet to measure familiar objects, such as a table- how many steps can the feet make across the surface?
Use the feet to measure longer distances, such as the width of a room or the garden.

top of preschool math activities