Lockdown Day 20 – Numeracy
Numeracy is the ability to apply math concepts in all areas of life.
Numeracy skills involve understanding quantities, recognising numerals, counting, solving number problems, measuring, sorting, noticing patterns, adding and subtracting numbers and so on.
Your child’s routine daily experiences can be full of learning opportunities that help to lay the foundations for numeracy. For preschoolers especially – this does not involve pen and paper! Much more will be learned from concrete experiences than from a worksheet!
WHAT YOU (THE ADULT) CAN DO
Much numeracy learning happens when children see, hear and experience numeracy in action. Consider the language you use. Engage the child in numerical language as much as possible.
MEALTIMES
Discuss what is on the child’s plate.
- There are THREE slices of apple,
- EIGHT blueberries and
- ONE cracker.
- Of which food is there the MOST? The LEAST?
- An apple can be cut in HALF or QUARTERS.
- A pizza can be divided into FRACTIONS.
- An amount of raisins can be SHARED (DIVIDED) equally between the number of people at the table.
BATH TIME
This is an ideal time to COUNT fingers and toes.
- HOW MANY on each hand? Is it the SAME as the other hand?
- How many fingers on BOTH hands together?
- How many toes do we have ALL TOGETHER?
- What if we TAKE AWAY four of these toes? How many are LEFT?
- Let’s look at body parts – what do we have EVEN NUMBERS/PAIRS of? What do we have ODD NUMBERS/INDIVIDUAL UNITS of?
IN THE KITCHEN
The pantry can be a great source of numeracy skills. You can ask the child to SORT the cans according to content and COUNT how many of each there are.
- What do you have the MOST of? The LEAST of?
- Does anything need to be added to the shopping list?
- Sort by size – which is BIGGER, which is SMALLER?
- Talk about WEIGHT – which can is the HEAVIEST? Which is the LIGHTEST?
- Is there a DIFFERENCE IN SIZE between the heaviest and the lightest?
IN THE LAUNDRY
We have spoken about the laundry before – here the child can practice SORTING clothes by colour or type, MATCHING socks, MEASURING detergent. And, of course, everything can be counted.
IN THE GARDEN
If the weather allows and you have access to a garden, then please enjoy the Maths lessons that nature has to offer!
- COUNT flowers by colour – which colour has the MOST or the LEAST?
- Which tree is the TALLEST or the SHORTEST? MEASURE the LENGTH and WIDTH of the garden in footsteps.
- What is CLOSER (or FURTHER AWAY) – the tree or the fence?
These are just a few of the many learning opportunities that are ‘hiding’ in your home!
Above all – please make these FUN for the child and do them every day!
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