Infants - Strategies for Mathematics
• Sing songs or use finger plays that use numbers and counting (e.g., One,
Two, Buckle My Shoe).
• During mealtimes, ask child, “Would you like some more?”• Offer toys that have incremental sizes (e.g., nesting cups or stackable rings).
• Provide opportunities to notice patterns outdoors and comment on those (e.g., types of leaves or color of flowers).
• Allow infants time to try to solve problems on their own. Know each infant’s tolerance for frustration and his or her developing abilities, and tailor your actions accordingly.
• Talk with young children about how they are playing or what they are doing. Use words that encourage children to count, compare, problem solve, and make connections to the world around them (e.g., circle, square, bigger/smaller, up/down, 1-2-3…).
• Include objects in the environment that have a one-to-one relationship (e.g., containers with lids, markers with tops, etc.).
Toddlers - Strategies for Mathematics
• Teach concepts, such as colors and shapes, to toddlers using every day routines
rather than using drill. For example, say, “Elliot, I see round circles on
your shirt.”• Help toddlers understand number concepts in a natural context of play and daily routines. For example, point out the number of children who are swinging.
• Play games and sing songs that use numbers and counting (e.g., Five Little Monkeys). Use finger plays/songs to focus toddlers’ attention.
• Read books that present basic math concepts in the context of everyday environments or routines (e.g., home, going to bed, etc.).
• Help toddlers understand shapes in the natural context of play and daily routines. For snack, serve round and square crackers and verbally label them as you offer choices: “We have round and square crackers for snack. Which would you like?”
• Begin to ask questions such as, “how many do you see?” or “how tall is your tower?”
Resource: page 39 LA's Birth to Five Early Learning & Development Standards (ELDS)
