Thursday, April 30, 2009

Montessori and Early Math Ideas

When your infant or toddler is eating or playing, you can take the opportunity to introduce counting and quantities in a fun way that integrates math and language with overall fun.

For example, you can put three berries into your child's oatmeal. As you help your child with the spoon and oatmeal, you can count the berries as they go onto the spoon...one, two, three!

If you and your child are sitting on the floor, you can roll three soft balls his or her way as you count them, too. You can also add in the name of the item -- one ball, two balls, three balls.

Just look for opportunities to mix touch, sight, and the use of language to the exercise and remember NOT to take the counting part seriously at all right now. This should all be relaxed and enjoyable parent-child time with no thought of actually having your infant or young toddler really remember the counting.

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