Preschool Maths Games

Even toddlers are engaged and interested in preschool maths when they have opportunity to experience it. The key is to present simple maths in a fun way throughout your day.

A great start is to do lots of counting.

Count toys as you both put them away, body parts at bath-time and the ducks on the page at story-time. Now and again you could count pieces of apple or sandwich as you put them on your toddler's plate. Then each time your little one eats a piece, count what's on their plate. That's a brilliant first lesson in subtraction.

Here are a few preschool maths games for young children.

Matching numbers and quantity

Counting by rote is one thing but understanding that the numbers represent a quantity is much harder for younger children to understand.

When explained and experienced in small bites, toddlers can understand this simple but fundamental concept. I (Claire) have found even one-year-olds can play this game.

Write big, bold numbers on pieces on white paper or card with a black marker. Write one number on the left hand side of each horizontally laid piece of paper. Start off with 1, 2, and 3. Collect six of the same safe familiar object that you have lots of such as blocks, toy cars or model animals. It would help to choose a quiet moment so that he can concentrate.

1. Place the pages in a ordered line on the floor and have the objects within easy reach for you.
2. Invite your toddler to play the counting game and count while pointing to the numbers.
3. Hand him one object and ask him to put it with the number 1 while pointing to the page.
4. Then repeat this with the other numbers and count as you hand the objects to your toddler.
5. Make a running commentary thoughout the activity.
6. Stop when he looses interest although he may want to repeat a few times

After he's done this preschool maths activity a few times and understands what to do you could give him more freedom by letting him pick the objects up from the pile himself. When your child can match the right quantities introduce the next number.

Seeing the formation of numbers and shapes

You could draw numbers and shapes in wet sand, tactile play stuff or on joint art projects while your toddler makes marks.

Feeling numbers and shapes

At a relaxed moment you could simply 'draw' numbers or shapes on your toddler's hand or back with your finger. This free toddler game can be done wherever you are and could help at times when you both have to wait for something.

Math flash cards

You might be surprised to find this preschool maths activity on a site for toddlers but really a short session of large maths flash cards might interest your toddler more than you may think. Keep to the simple ones such as numerals, numbers of objects up to ten or shapes.

A parenting tip for your toddler: The key (like all toddler activities) is to do it when he's in the mood and stop as soon as he looses interest. That way you'll foster your child's love for learning.

Shape matching

Draw shapes on a piece of white paper with a black marker. Cut out the same shapes out of card. Make them slightly smaller so the outlines on the shapes can still be seen when they are placed on the board. Having all the shapes in the same colour will help your toddler to focus on the shapes them selves.

Sorting

This preschool maths game can be done with most safe objects found around the home. Start with two small groups of objects with great contrast and two plates or pieces of paper. 'Let's put cars on this plate and the socks on that plate'.

Experiencing mass and volume

Pouring and emptying sand, water and other tactile materials are the perfect activity to help children understand this abstract concept. Many young children are kinesthetic learners which means they learn best through moving, doing and experimenting with their environment.

Experimenting with weight

You need old-fashioned balancing scales, the weights are useful but not essential. Young children automatically think that if an object is larger than another it must be heavier as well.

So collect a lot of larger light objects such as bags of crisps (potato chips), ball of wool, some shredded paper, a bag of craft feathers or pompoms. If you like you could replace or add to the weights with small heavy objects such potatoes, apples or paper weights.

After an explanation your toddler could possibly be entertained for hours trying out all the different combinations and comparing the objects.

I hope you enjoy these preschool maths games to play with your toddler.

Count your steps from Preschool Maths to Toddler Education