Preschool Math Activities for
Mathematical Development

Preschool math activities encourage mathematical development. This is essentially part of advanced language development which gives children a better comprehension and insight into their concrete environment.

“There’s a lot more to maths than numbers and sums; its an important language which helps us describe, explore and explain the world we live in…”

Preschool math activities should include:

• numerical order - comprehension of the natural or logical arrangement of a sequence
• counting skills - reciting numbers in order
• dimensions - comprehension of measurements
• numerical conceptualizing - the ability to form a concept based on observations, experiences and data
• numerical relations - comprehension of an associations, such as equality or inequality between quantities and expressions
• numerical symbols - comprehension of figures or signs used in mat to represent quantity, function or operation
• calculations - resolving problems by means of mathematical formulae
• quantity, volume and weight

Children develop through three modes of thinking about numbers:

1. manipulative mode – working with real objects e.g. beans, cups, spoons

2. mental image mode – using mental images or pictures of real objects

3. abstract mode – using number concepts without thinking of images of objects

Preschool math activities should mostly require children to use the manipulative mode to explore mathematical concepts.

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Preschool Math Activities for Developing Mathematical Skills

No one is good at everything. The object of these stimulating activities, is to help your child develop each area to her unique potential and avoid learning difficulties, not to over-stimulate or try and develop super-babies!

The following are suggestions of preschool math activities you can do with your child to stimulate mathematical development. They are aimed at 3-5 year olds, but since this is a wide range, you should adapt them according to your child's proficiency.

1. Ask your child to count. As a guide, a four year old can usually count to ten, but only comprehends numbers up to five.

2. Ask your child to count five objects and them pass them to you. e.g clothes pegs

3. Build a stick of construction blocks. Ask your child to hold it behind his back and use his sense of touch to count how many blocks there are.

4. Place board games that require dice and counting spaces e.g snakes and ladders, ludo etc

5. Sing counting rhymes and songs

6. Talk about and compare things that illustrate concepts of full and empty (volume) and light and heavy (weight).

7. Let your child play with dominoes.

8. Give your child a ruler and ask her to measure different objects.

9. Measure the dimensions of a room in paces

10. Let your child share out candy equally between family members.

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In just a few minutes, doing one easy activity a day, you can have fun and interact with your children in a way that will stimulate their all-round growth and development.

• Preschool activities to stimulate gross motor skills and co-ordination
• Preschool activities to develop fine motor skills and artistic creativity
• Songs, rhymes and music appreciation to develop auditory skills
• Preschool activities to develop visual skills which are important for reading
• Preschool math activities to stimulate mathematical development and numeracy
• Linguistic activities to develop language skills
• Faith building activities

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