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Saturday, 7 December 2013

Math Patterns

Calendar time is the ultimate learning experience for my preschooler, as we grow and learn new concepts every week. I have recently added a new routine to Calendar time. Since we are learning about patterns (i.e. ab, abc, abcd, aab, etc.) through colored number/date tiles, I thought to add something more tactile for pattern practice. You know how that saying goes: "Learning by doing." So here are some ways that we practice and learn about patterns:

Using body movements that represent the pattern such as clapping, slapping knees, tapping, snapping with fingers, jumping, twirling, etc. For example, for the ab pattern, we will clap and slap knees; Clap, Slap. I also say the actions words out loud so that they are easy to follow for a preschooler.
Place little objects (i.e. buttons, marbles, etc.) in a pattern using an egg carton or ice cube tray. This is not only visual but also very tactile. I also prep this a activity by drawing a follow-along chart that visually details what the child has to do. For example, if the pattern is abc, then I draw three different colored dots that represent the objects used for practice.

Overall, math is so much fun so don't forget to share that love of math with your child to help him/her cope with math anxiety in their later schooling years.

Annie

Wednesday, 6 November 2013

Forming Geometric Shapes with Popsicle Sticks

Since we had our Popsicle sticks out for the Math Color Sorting and Graphing Activity, we decided to make shapes with Popsicle sticks. This is a tactile activity that goes a long way to teach the concept of Shapes.

For us, this was an introductory activity to learn about "Shapes". We will progress by talking about corners and how many corners does each shape have.

For the following activity, you will need Colored Popsicle sticks, and a diagram of practice shapes. Here is what we did:

1. I did a demonstration by making a square shape using the Popsicle sticks. We discussed how to do this by placing Popsicle sticks in a similar pattern.

2. Then I let my preschooler experiment. Notice how he is still in the learning process, as he has not joined all of the Popsicle sticks together to form the shape. At the moment, we are exploring "Shapes" so I let him have the free rein. For the next lesson, which will be the same activity again, I will talk about connecting the Popsicle sticks together and possibly talk about how many corners does each shape have. It is always nice and easy to start off with basic shapes like square, rectangle, or triangle and then move on to other harder shapes. You can use a shape manipulative if you have it or you can always draw it nice and big on a piece of paper.

3. Activity Extension: you may also incorporate another hands-on activities to teach the concept of Shapes such as "Shapes I SPY" or Form Shapes with your hands or body.

Early Math practice is crucial in strengthening your child's future math learning.

Annie

Sunday, 27 October 2013

7 Math Preschool Activities

We had a great weekend! How about yourself? I hope all went well for you and family! :) We also got a chance to practice our math skills this weekend.

Here is a descriptive list of engaging preschool math activities that we did:

1. Number Practice - count numbers out loud by placing counters/manipulatives in a row or in a pile. I used an egg carton but you can use just about anything (i.e. ice cube tray, plate, empty jewellery container, etc.) I like using an egg carton as my son can hear the manipulative drop in the box and move to the next number. It adds a visual, auditory, and kinesthetic component to the learning experience.

2. Color Sorting - In this activity my son sorted the manipulatives (buttons) according to color. It is always a good idea to use a tray or container with sections to help your child sort easily. Sorting is an essential early math skill as it teaches your child to identify and categorize objects. You can also sort in other ways according to size, features, names, types, and other categories.

3. Number Writing Practice - if your child is ready then you can start number writing practice. This will help strengthen your child's hand muscle control.

4. Show in Different Ways - for this activity you can informally test their knowledge by asking them to show you other ways of representing something. In this instance, my son showed the number zero using his fingers. Your child can also show you through body movement, sing-a-song or poem, using their fingers, drawing, etc.

5. Mazes - doing mazes is a great fine motor activity for building strong hand muscle control. It is also a great handwriting practice starter activity for early learners. There are many different maze activities that are either educational or 'fun'. My son loves mazes and we do them all the time as a transition activity.

6. "Power of Ten" - this is the best research based program to teach number counting and other math skills like addition, subtraction, and multiplication. I made my own cards to practice basic skills. First, I had my son demonstrate the five colored squared card by placing manipulatives similarly in an egg carton. The rule is that you have to use an egg carton with ten boxes (snip off the two extras). You will start from the bottom left and go upwards as you place your manipulatives in the egg carton. It took some tries for my son to grasp the concept but he is doing well now. Slowly, I will add more learning games or skills to our routine for teaching math skills using the "Power of Ten" method.

7. Number Match - we matched our "Power of Ten" cards to number flash cards for additional number recognition practice.

I have been focusing a lot on preschool math skills. I want my son to always be on top of the game when he starts school next year. I am a bit anxious and nervous but I hope I can help my son do well in school. Any tips or suggestions from other moms out there? Let me know...

Annie

Sunday, 6 October 2013

Cutting Skills for Your Preshooler (with PRINTABLE)

Hello! Just wanted to share some thoughts on cutting skills...

Cutting is a very important Fine Motor skill for your preschooler, as he or she will be using that skill a lot, along with other skills, in his/her first year at school. When a child uses his/her hands to function or use things correctly than he/she is using their Fine motor skills. In order to develop your child's Fine motor skills, you need to provide them with opportunities for exercising their hand muscle control/movement. For example, holding a spoon or fork to eat food from a plate is a Fine motor skill, as it allows your child to hold the utensil at a certain angle to pick up food from the plate. Overall, cutting will help your child develop good hand control and helps them with holding a pencil correctly for writing practice in the school years.

Beware: little kids do not have fully developed hand muscles so avoid complex activities and start with simple ones like putting money in a jar, rolling play dough, or using tongs to pick up items. Also, adult supervision is needed at all times. It is wise to invest in a pair of child-friendly scissors that have a safety edge around the blades. If necessary, guide your child to cut using training scissors available on Amazon or any stationary store.

Similarly, learning to cut a shape or on a line using a pair of scissors is a complex Fine motor skills that requires lots and lots of practice. Parents should not feel disheartened if their child on their first cutting assignment, cannot succeed. It's okay to give up and try again the next day. I remember my early days at school when we had to do lines or copy some insane notes from the board, and the insides of my palm would ache for a while from writing so much. Similarly, you don't want to push your child but keep trying everyday for 10-15 minutes and if the attempt is unsuccessful then try again the next day. Before your child begins cutting, you need to teach them how to hold the scissors properly and then gradually progress to cutting a piece of paper. Kids love cutting pictures so you may start with old flyers or magazines.

Let's look at some unique products in the market (all products can be found on Amazon.com):

Fiskars Blunt Tip scissors (Ages 4+)

Westcott Stainless Steel 5 inch training scissors w/teacher's grip (Ages 4+)

My First Scissors by Faber Castell (Ages 3+)

School Smart Loop Scissors (Ages 4+)

Fiskars Safe Scissors (Ages 3+)

Kraft Edgers Pattern Scissors
(Ages 4+)

There are many ways your preschooler can practice their cutting:

Cut on pre-made or pre-printed shapes to practice cutting around a shape.

Cut pre-made lines (such as wavy, curved, straight, dotted, zig zag, swirly, etc.) to practice cutting on a line.

Practice everyday to perfect their cutting skills. Cutting helps develops fine motor skills so its okay to include a few other skills with it to make it interesting. For example, have your child draw something, cut it out and glue it on another surface. This way you combined the skills of holding a pencil, drawing, cutting and gluing.

If you need more guidance or would like to learn more about cutting practice and related ideas, then you can refer to the following teaching resource:

My First Book of Cutting by Kumon Publishing
Scissor Skills (PreK-1) by Carson-Dellosa Publishing
Cut and Create! ABC: Easy Step-By-Step Projects That Teach Scissor Skills by Kim Rankin

Remember to allow plenty of time for your child to practice his/her cutting skills to reduce frustration and anxiety. Guide them before they give up but if they continue to be frustrated, then approach it at another time. To help your child develop his/her fine motor skills practice on a day-to-day basis.

Happy Cutting,

Annie
(Encl. Cutting Practice Printable)