Numeracy is one of the ways in which we make sense of the world around us and it is an important skill which many learners fail to successfully achieve. At preschool level we need to begin the process of providing the "language" of mathematics in order for our learners to understand what is being asked of them. Parents can assist their child to acquire this language through playing games and incorporating this language into their daily conversations with their child.
Ideas for build mathematical vocabulary
- Instruct your child to place her dolls/cars/blocks etc in a row and then arrange them according to position of first/ second/ third.
- Play "Shape Detectives" and ask your child to find a shape in the house or his bedroom e.g. find a square/ rectangle in your bedroom.
- Play "eye spy with my little eye" using shapes in the room e.g "I can see something that is the same shape as a circle."
- Use an egg box or muffin tray to sort objects e.g. buttons, beans, bottle tops etc.
- Discuss the concept of "pairs" when dressing e.g. "we have a pair of shoes which means we have two."
- Relate time to the daily routine and events that your child is familiar with e.g. "we have breakfast after we have got dressed for school/ we have supper after we have had our bath."
- If a parent is departing for a work trip, allow your children to mark off the days on a calendar. This will help them to see a visual representation of the passage of time and make them feel reassured that their parent will return.
- Use an egg timer to create boundaries within which your child must perform a particular task e.g. getting dressed in the morning. This will help her to understand the meaning of time such as five minutes.
- Count toys as your child picks them up and places them in a tidy box; count beans, bottle tops, buttons, smarties etc. Look for opportunities to count as many things as possible.
- Play games that involve number recognition e.g use dice and play "Snakes and Ladders."
It is important that your child sees numbers and working with numbers as a fun activity. Encourage your child to notice numbers in his daily environment e.g. when driving to school let your child read the numbers on a number plate in front of your car. Praise your child when he notices numbers without being prompted. Bath time is also a fun time for exploring numbers as you can count fingers and toes, discuss symmetry and position. Using soap crayons to write numbers on tiles can also be a fun way to practice the symbols attached to numbers. You, as the parent, model the attitude towards numeracy and therefore it is essential that your child develop a positive approach and confidence in her numeracy skills.
Giulietta Harrison - Giulietta Harrison is currently teaching Grade R in a school in South Africa and is head of Grade across three schools. She is also on the ...
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