Ten Ways To Develop Your Child’s Math Skills Early

Maths is one of those subjects that we love to hate and many of us want our children to have an easier, and more exciting relationship with maths than what we experienced.

One way to do this is by teaching them and familiarizing them with maths while they are still young and absorbing information like a sponge.
Here are a couple of ways, you can teach your young child about maths early:

1) Classic toy Abacus: An Abacus is one of the oldest means of counting and though it is rarely used anymore, it is now a popular toy for kids. The kids can learn to count as they move the beads from side to side. They can also learn simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and even division by using the abacus.

2) Count items in and out of the home: Count the number of cups on the table, count the numbers of cars that pass. Turn it into a game.

3) Songs: Sing number songs i.e. ‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5; once I caught a fish alive…’; ‘1, 2, buckle my shoe; 3, 4 knock on the door…’ and so on.

4) Shapes: Point out the different shapes to be found in and around the home.

5) Shopping: Take your child shopping and talk about the quantities of the items you purchase. Let your child handle money and ask them how much an item costs. Encourage them to add the costs of the items together to find the total.

6) Patterns: Have fun with patterns. Arrange the dolls – one doll, two dolls, one doll; arrange your dry pasta and encourage your child to continue the pattern.

7) Flash Cards: These are a great tool for helping your child address what he/she knows about numbers and maths.

8) Toy Blocks: These are great tools to help familiarize your child with the different shapes and even help them combine the shapes to make different and new shapes!

9) Dominoes: This is another great tool for teaching your child numbers and addition and subtraction. Play a game with them!

10) Baking: Baking is a wonderful way to teach your child about measurements. Have them help you pour flour unto a scale, and the milk into a measuring jug and so on. Talk the child through it as you go and ask for the measurement.