Getting Ready for Kindergarten Kindergarten Math Practices and Strategies to Support Your Child

O Number recognition O Basic arithmetic O Simple math tasks (problem solving) O Comparing O Probability O Geometry O Measurement O Patterns What Will My Child Be Learning in Math?

So….how can I help my child?

Number Recognition and Counting O Counting with your child is one of the single most beneficial things you can do to help them build strong number sense. O Start by counting to 10, then 20, then 50, then on to 100 and up. O Play around with skip counting (5s, 10s, 2s) O Count Forward and Backward – turn them into games. O ESTIMATE – “About how many…..are there?” O Help your child to identify numbers in their environment. O Represent numbers by using objects O Talk about numbers in terms of: more, less, greater, equal, about

Compare MORE vs. LESS Allow your child to play with coins and understand they each have more and less value. Point out groups of objects to your child and identify which has more, most, less, little, etc.

Geometry Strategies O Play with Shapes puzzles O Allow your child to attempt to draw shapes with multiple tools (marker, pencil, glue and glitter, tracing) O Ask your child to name their shapes O TALK about them: “Hmm…what is the difference between that square and that rectangle?” O Point out shapes in the environment – turn a shape search into a game!

Measurement Strategies O Help your child to understand bigger, smaller, smallest, shorter, heavier, taller, etc. O Measure with small objects O Use noodles or paperclips to measure the length of the table, for example.

Have FUN With Patterns O Make patterns out of everything: food, toys, anything! O TALK about patterns and have them explain it to you. O Notice patterns in daily life. O SORTING O Have your child sort by size and color and then create fun, colorful patterns that they can explain. O For example, have them help with sorting laundry, silverware, crayons, etc.

Probability and Statistics O Art! Simple charts and graphs O Start using vocabulary: likely, probable, uncertain, impossible, unlikely, etc. O Play Board Games! Cards, spinners O Start a chore or responsibility chart

Helping Your Child’s Success in MATH O MAKE MATH MEANINGFUL! O Point out math in the world around you. O Grocery Store O Compare prices O Allow handling money O Weigh produce O Neighborhood O Count mailboxes, notice patterns O Make numbers O Finger paint numbers, write numbers in the sand

(continued….tips) O Cook/Bake together O Measuring/talking about the amounts O Road Trips O Put a pencil in their hand and keep track of things (number of cows, lights, signs, etc.) O Keep a calendar! O Mark certain days of the week, special dates, weekends, O Today, tomorrow, yesterday, two days from now…

(continued…tips) O Make “missions” for math fun O Number of doorknobs in 20 seconds O Find all the circles you can in 5 minutes O Number of steps in the house O Number of table legs in the house in 2 minutes etc. O Games O Chutes and Ladders (2009 CMU/Univ. of Maryland study) O Trouble, Classic card games, Memory, Dominos, “I spy a shape”

Build a LOVE of Math O Set aside your own distaste for Math – they will hate it too (“I’m not a math person.”) O Attitude has EVERYTHING to do with learning! O You are what you believe. O It doesn’t matter if they are great at it, it matters if they like it. They WILL improve with practice. O Daily life/Daily conversation – “See any good Math today?”