Mathematics is all around us – from counting cookies to measuring ingredients while baking, identifying shapes while playing, to recognizing patterns in the world around us. As one of the key subjects taught at primary schools, math sets the stage for developing critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and logical reasoning in children. More than just equations and algorithms, math aids in the overall development of young minds.
However, it’s no secret that math has a reputation for being a dry and boring subject. “When am I ever going to use this?” is a common refrain from students of all ages struggling with math. As experts in early childhood education, we at Crystals Childcare and Preschool recognize that the preschool years are the best time to cultivate a positive relationship between children and math. Through play and activity-based learning, we make early math fun and engaging for young students.
The Importance of Early Math Skills
Research indicates that the brain development that determines math comprehension occurs rapidly in the first few years of a child’s life. Early math proficiency upon school entry is a significant indicator of future academic success. Students who enter elementary school with lower math abilities tend to struggle in math and other subjects later on.
By making preschool math learning enjoyable, we equip children with critical cognitive skills, confidence, and curiosity – setting them up for math success as academic demands grow. Positive early experiences allow kids to view math more as a stimulating puzzle rather than a scary subject. Developing early math skills through play and hands-on learning fosters:
- Logical thinking and reasoning
- Spatial recognition
- Pattern identification
- Problem-solving abilities
- Creativity and innovation
- Communication skills
- Collaboration abilities
- Fine motor skills
- Memory and concentration
- Self-confidence and curiosity
The Crystals Childcare and Preschool Advantage
As a leading preschool in Midland Texas dedicated to whole-child development, Crystals Childcare and Preschool has a time-tested math program designed to build early skills through engaging activities. Developed by expert early childhood educators, our math curriculum aligns
with the Texas Preschool Learning Framework. We focus on making foundational math concepts accessible and enjoyable using educational best practices tailored for different learning styles and stages.
Our math lessons artfully blend into everyday classroom routines, transitions between activities, outdoor play, and assignments. Instead of traditional memorizing and worksheets, teachers lead students via:
- Interactive games
- Songs, rhymes, and chants
- Arts and crafts
- Physical movements
- Everyday interactions
- Conversations
We encourage experimentation through bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, and spatial learning modes. For example, children learn sophisticated ideas like measurement, data analysis, and fractions by cooking and baking. Spatial recognition and geometry come together as kids build structures with blocks. Educators promote the natural math abilities children use during socio-dramatic playacting real-world scenarios.
Key Math Concepts Covered
While math has a reputation for being a linear subject, various interconnected concepts form its foundation. Crystals Childcare and Preschool focuses on making these early math building blocks engaging through play. Our math curriculum progressively covers:
- Number Sense: Counting, quantities, written numerals
- Basic Arithmetic: Addition and subtraction
- Measurements: Size, volume, weight, height
- Shapes and Spatial Sense: 2D and 3D geometric shapes
- Patterns and Classifications: Identifying and creating patterns
- Data Analysis: Graphing, comparing quantities
- Time and Money: Clock, calendars, coins
We structure our math lessons based on research-backed best practices for early childhood education:
- Student-directed learning: Children select activities aligning with their interests and learning pace.
- Scaffolding: Teachers progressively introduce new concepts based on students’ zones of proximal development.
- Concrete learning: Kids grasp abstract ideas more easily through hands-on manipulation of physical objects.
- Math talk: Educators model the vocabulary and language patterns used to describe mathematical concepts
- Growth mindset development: We encourage perseverance, willingness to learn from mistakes, and intellectual risk-taking.
Making Math Fun at Crystals Childcare and Preschool
Our unique math program brings together the best elements of preschool pedagogy to create engaging lessons. We realize that young children have a natural inquisitiveness and desire to explore mathematical ideas when learning feels more like play. Below are some examples of how we make early math enjoyable:
Math Games Galore: Who doesn’t love a fun game? We have a myriad of specially designed math games focusing on skills like numeral recognition, counting, shapes, patterns, ordering/sequencing numbers, estimation, and measurement.
Physically Active Math: Children learn by doing. We incorporate concepts like shapes, directions, positional words, measurement, counting, and patterns into fun physical activities. From yoga sessions to relay races and scavenger hunts – kids absorb math concepts while staying active.
Kitchen Math: Cooking activities teach real-world applications of measurement, fractions, counting, shapes, pattern-following, and step-by-step thinking. As children mix, pour, and divide dough, they engage in mathematical reasoning.
Math Art: Crafting activities reinforce the visual-spatial aspects of math via geometry, symmetry, measuring, and patterning. Students flex their creative muscles while internalizing math skills.
Themed Math Stations: Our classrooms contain different learning stations focused on math. For example, a construction station may have blocks and tools for shape/structure creation. A science station could involve recording measurements and observations.
Song and Dance: Nothing livens up math like music! We use rhyming songs, chants, and movement to teach counting, patterns, shapes, money, and other concepts.
Outdoor Math: Playgrounds are mathematical wonderlands, perfect for learning about positional words, shapes, spatial awareness, symmetry, problem-solving, and numbers. We design outdoor activities making the most of natural math learning.
H3-Real-World Connections
Effective math instruction ties into children’s existing experiences at home and in the world. Our activities reference real-life math connections – like setting the dinner table, getting dressed, using money, telling time, etc. Through such examples, kids better understand the true nature of math as a life skill rather than an abstract school subject. We also encourage parents to highlight math moments in daily family activities.
Assessments
While our math program focuses on fun, enriching lessons, we closely track each child’s progress through individualized assessments. Educators use creative modes of evaluating mathematical abilities – including games, activities, oral tests, and observation of learning behaviors. Regular assessments allow us to calibrate lesson complexity and individualize our math program for optimum growth.
Developing Confidence and Curiosity
The enthusiastic encouragement students receive at Crystals Childcare and Preschool instills mathematical confidence and curiosity from an early age. We cultivate tenacity, logical reasoning, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. Our skilled teachers inspire children to see math all around them. Kids graduate from our unique math program with pro-math attitudes, solid knowledge foundations, and learning enthusiasm benefitting them throughout their academic journey.
Give Your Child the Math Edge
Math forms an invaluable part of any child’s development. At Crystals Childcare and Preschool, we make math accessible and enjoyable using research-backed techniques designed for different learning styles. Our engaging math program and curriculum build vital skills for success in elementary school and beyond. To learn more about our unique approach or to schedule a tour, contact us today at (432) 687-5904 OR info@crystalschildcare.org . Help your child discover the wonder of math at Crystals Childcare and Preschool!