Guest Author - Diane Claus

Pre-math skills are the stepping stones for understanding mathematics. Here is information on what children need to know before they will be able to understand the basic concepts of mathematics.

Shapes

Learning to discriminate between the different shapes. Learning to tell the difference between a square and a rectangle or a circle and an oval sets the stage for reasoning skills.

Here are a few great ways for preschoolers to learn shapes in a relevant and meaningful way:
*Find Shapes in the preschool environment
*Games that the have kids matching shapes
*Have a shape day with different activities about one shape.


Same & Different

What is the same? What is different? This can range anywhere from the simple to the extremely challenging. Knowing how things look and finding objects that look exactly like it, or picking out an object that is different is an important observation skill that will help a child when they start learning math concepts. If an apple looks just like an orange how will they be able to tell a 2 from a 4?

There are many fun ways for preschoolers to learn if something is the same or different.

Game Idea:
You can use the cards from a memory game and put two down for a couple of seconds and if the preschooler knows if they are different or the same then they get to keep the cards or a token.


Big and Small
Tall and short
High and low
Long and short

In short opposites. Comparing an item with another that is it’s opposite builds logic skills.

Most of what we teach is our language for these concepts. Unfortunately many adults tend to use the terms in a confusing way. Here are a few examples:

Size
That cute little doggy that weighs in at around 80 pounds. The big 1inch long scratch.

Length (time)
It’s a short (45 minute) drive. It’s a long wait in line (5-10 minutes).

Distance
A short walk around the block (half a mile). A long walk from the car to the store (50 yards)


What comes first sequencing

An event that happens before or after another. Learning the order of events and being able to figure out the order using a logical thought process is an important step. There are so many different ways of teaching these skills, but I feel it is best to use examples that are relevant to the child, making sure that the child has a basic understanding of the examples you use. A child who has never grown a plant will have no way of knowing that a seed and a full grown plant have anything in common. Don’t assume a child knows something you consider common knowledge, this will cause frustration for you both.

Socks and shoes is a simple two-step sequencing. Since putting on socks and shoes is something that most children do on a daily basis it is a great starter.

A child may not understand the question one way, but still gets the concept. Try asking the same question in a different way.

Do you put your shoes on before or after your socks?
Or
What do you put on first, your shoes or your socks?

When you think the child has grasped the basic concept move on to three-step and four-step sequencing. Silly games are a fun way to learn about event sequencing.

A child who is unable to figure out basic event sequencing does not have the skills needed for learning numerical order. This is different from being able to tell you that she has 5 M&M’s and you have 4 M&M’s.


Numbers and Counting

Preschoolers learn about numbers in a certain order. They will first learn to count objects. Then they learn numerical symbol recognition. The symbol 1 represents one of something, the symbol 2 represents two of something etc. Next comes numerical symbol sequencing. Knowing what order number come in. 1 2 3 4 5 6 etc...

Reading number stories is a great way to introduce and reenforce these concepts.