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Wondering when is the right time to introduce patterns to your toddler or preschooler? NOW is the time. Patterns are quite simple and fun as long as you keep it simple.  When you introduce patterns, start with an AB pattern which is two objects that will repeat. For example, red, blue, red, blue, red, blue. As you introduce the core pattern (the two colors used to start the pattern), repeat it three times and then ask, “what comes next?”. Whatever your choice of objects, it should be an AB pattern. You can use cars, crayons, markers, or buttons. You can even make it a movement pattern by asking your child to clap and jump. For this pattern activity, my preschooler used unifix cubes to create patterns. Once he showed me that he had a good understanding of the concept, I gave him cards to extend the pattern with only one cube.  As he improved with patterns, I introduced pattern cards that required him to extend the pattern by using more than one cube.  Grab these cards for your next pattern activity.  Disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
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What IS subitizing? Subitizing is the ability to quickly recognize a small number of objects without counting. For example, if you hold up three fingers and your child is able to quickly tell you there are three fingers without counting, then they are able to subitize. Subitizing is an important skill that will support young learners later on in kindergarten and beyond for adding and subtracting. There are many subitizing games to play with preschoolers to help develop this skill, but first, let’s discuss the two types of subitizing. What is perceptual subitizing? Perceptual subitizing is the ability to recognize a small group of objects up to five. This is the simplest form of subitizing for young children. Not only should they be able to recognize a small group of objects, but they should also be able to recognize different representations of a given number up to five like the example below.  What is conceptual subitizing? Conceptual subitizing is being able to combine two groups for a total. For example, if shown two dot cards; one hand with 3 fingers and the other with 1 finger, the child should read the total number of dots by saying 4. This type of subitizing requires a little more skill because children need to see the two groups as a whole. Conceptual subitizing is even being able to see sets of numbers within larger numbers. For example, seeing two threes on the 6 of a die. This is great for beginning addition in kindergarten as children are learning quick ways to add and subtract for math.   Ahh, Autumn is here, and while I know that means I am that much closer to winter---the dreadful season in my opinion--, I still love fall for its beautiful foliage, baking pies, and apple picking. Don’t get me wrong, winter has its perks for building a snowman and singing Anna and Elsa’s “Let It Go”, but I don’t like being cold, so there’s that. Every autumn, my husband and I research orchards for fall festivities for the children, and while it may be for the children, I am secretly excited for the festivities. There is so much learning and fun that can happen just from picking apples! This year, we went to Demarest Farm, located in New Jersey.  So, here is a list of things you can do with your little learners after apple picking: Counting Apples Children need many opportunities to count just like they need many opportunities to count objects. Ask the kiddies to help you count those apples as they put them one by one into the sink for a washing. As they count, pay attention to see if your child is using one-to-one correspondence (touching each apple once and pairing it with the correct verbal count). If your child is holding the second apple from the bag, then he or she should verbally say two.  Sorting Apples Once you’re back home and have given the apples a wash, ask the kiddos to sort them by color. Sorting is an important math skill for preschoolers and what better way than to sort apples they have just picked?! You can take it a step further after sorting and ask them to compare the groups. Which group has more or less, and don’t forget to always follow up with, how do you know. Getting children to explain their mathematical thinking early on is a step in the right direction. Even if their answers are as simple as, “This one has a lot, that’s how I know”. It tells you that they are able to visually discriminate between the groups and will eventually be able to say, “because I know ____ is a bigger number than____”. Science With Apples Now we’re moving on to the fun and tasty part, not that counting and sorting aren't fun, but who doesn’t like to eat apples in a variety of ways?! I mean, come on, that’s the best part of fall. You can eat your apple whole, sliced, or sauce. If you make apple sauce, get the kids involved. Children love helping out in the kitchen and it's a way to sneak in all those important learning concepts for literacy, math, and science. Here is the recipe I used to make my delicious apple sauce: Apple Sauce Recipe Materials:
Chunky: Let cool then mash with a fork. Smooth: Let cool then use a blender to pulse until you reach your desired texture. Serve apple sauce warm or chill.  Apple Taste Test Get the kiddies to do compare flavors. Talk about sweet and tart/sour. Use this FREEBIE Apple Taste Test worksheet for your taste test fun.  Want more apple worksheets? Visit my store here. Disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Sorting is a beginning math skill and children naturally sort things in their environment without even knowing it. You may have seen your child separate their toys into categories by creating piles of balls, dolls, stuffed animals, or all sorted by colors. When children sort, they are learning to classify objects by specific attributes. Objects can be sorted by shape, color, size, texture, taste, and much more. In the beginning, it is easiest for children to sort by color, shape, or size. As children get older, they begin to sort with more complex attributes.  If you have bean bags, your kids are sure to love a game of throwing toys. I mean, what kid wouldn't like the idea of throwing toys without getting in trouble?! My kids throw bean bags at each other all the time and it's not even a game that I "mom approved". The last time I caught my son throwing bean bags at his sister, I had to quickly think of a way that he can throw those bean bags like he's a baseball player in a more meaningful way. I used clear bins for this activity, but it can also work with old boxes. I made labels for each bin and explained what each label represented: 123 for numbers, ABC for letters, and square, triangle, circle for Shapes. While it may seem obvious, you never want to assume, so it’s best practice to explain the purpose of each activity and how it will be completed. You can always label your bins based on what materials you have for sorting. I must warn you, sometimes your child might toss things into the wrong bin because they are so excited to throw those bean bags. Just give a simple reminder that the bean bags should be tossed into the correct bin or box for sorting.  Another way to play this bean bag toss game:
Numbers: As your child picks up a new bean bag number, ask him/her to identify the number, clap, hop, or stomp that many times, then toss it in the correct bin. Alphabet: Ask your child to identify each letter before throwing it into the bin. You can also ask your child to identify each letter and say the letter sound before tossing it. Shapes: Ask your child to identify each shape and name something in the environment with the same shape. This quick bean bag toss sorting activity targeted multiple skills: letter recognition, phonics, number recognition, shape recognition, and eye-hand coordination. Sorting Around The Home:
Who doesn't love pizza? I know my children love pizza. Well, my daughter loves pizza, but my son, he is a part time pizza lover. Anyway, we've made pizza at few times at home, but we have ordered out more times than I care to remember. My daughter loves placing her order when we order out, so I thought it would be nice to create these cute order forms for our homemade pizza night. Making pizza is great for teaching math concepts. The pizza can be used as a manipulative to help create the visual representation of fractions. Children can see how a pizza is cut into eight equal parts. They can also learn about angles as cut the pizza. And let's not forget the science of it. Children will observe the chemical changes from the start of waiting for the dough to double in size and the change of the dough as it cooks. The recipe below makes 2 medium size pizzas  Step 1, In a small bowl, mix together the 1 1/2 cup WARM water and 1 teaspoon yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, you will notice bubbles.  Step 2, In a separate medium size bowl, add 4 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Step 3, Pour the yeast mixture into the flour and mix it all together until a dough forms. Sprinkle very little flour on a clean surface and gently knead the dough into smooth ball. Then place the dough back into the bowl.  Step 4, Pour 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil or vegetable oil onto the dough and rub it all over. Cover it with a towel and let it sit for 1 hour until the dough rises. I personally like to put my bowl in the oven with the light on to generate a little heat. Step 5, The fun part! Your dough should have doubled in size. Punch a hole into the dough to release the air. Actually, don't do that. Let the kids do it; they will think it's the coolest thing ever. Then, cut your dough in half. You can make two pizzas or place one dough in the freezer. If you choose to freeze, place the dough into a large size Ziploc bag with enough room for the dough to expand. It can be frozen for up to 6 months.  Step 6, Preheat oven to 450. Sprinkle very little flour onto a clean surface and roll your dough out into a circle. Then, transfer the dough to a pizza pan. Add pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings. With the extra dough, I cut it in half for the kids. I provided a smaller dough for the children because it would be easier for them to manage.
 The kids made their own personal pies.  FYI: My son ate his pizza! :) ​ Do you ever feel like you are constantly washing clothes? Well, that's because you probably are. Doing laundry is a daunting task for most parents, but it can be a chore that teaches a number of mathematical concepts for young children. When children participate with laundry, they learn how to sort: Sort Sort clothes into color piles. It helps them to understand that things are alike and different; things can be organized by certain groups. They can sort clothes by color, mom’s clothes, dad’s clothes, or however you choose to sort.  Matching Children can match socks to make a pair. This teaches children that pairs come in sets of two. Comparing After children have sorted the clothes into piles, a great question would be, “Which pile has more?” The child will quickly assess the piles and make a decision based on the amount in each. Children will spend time learning about more or less in preschool, so why not get them started at home? You can also ask which pile is bigger or smaller. Measurement As your child pours laundry detergent into the cap, the development of eye-hand coordination and measurement are happening right before your very eyes. Counting and One-to-One Correspondence  Counting clothes as they are placed into the washer. There is a lot of counting in doing laundry. Children can count the clothes aloud as they put each piece into the washing machine. It helps to reinforce the count sequence. Counting aloud provides an opportunity for parents to hear if any errors are made and can quickly be corrected. With continued practice, children eventually begin to count to higher numbers with guidance. As children are counting, be sure to make note if their verbal count matches with the number of clothing they have set aside. For example, if the child has set aside 3 pieces of clothes, the last number said should be 3. Fine Motor/Fractions Folding clothes is the HARDEST part of doing laundry. You can set aside a few pieces for your child to fold. Let’s say, your child has to fold a washcloth, you can say, “Can you fold this in half?”. That is teaching fractions. Now, I know you’re probably wondering how does a preschooler understand the concept of fractions. Well, you wouldn’t necessarily do a lesson on fractions, but using fraction language is a start. Fold a washcloth to show your child what you mean by folding in half. With continued exposure, children begin to make sense of the concept, which prepares them for future years ahead when fractions will be part of their curriculum. Literacy/Sequence You can encourage children to draw and write about the steps of how to do laundry. That teaches sequence--first, next, then, and last. Children learn to recognize letters on the laundry bottles. Children can copy the letters they see on the laundry bottles or to go a step further depending on the child’s age, they can spell phonetically.
Check out these books to help with the above concepts: Counting
Disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
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Akwaaba!Hi, I am Odessa. I'm a mom of two wonderful children and a teacher. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education and a Master of Science in Childhood Education with over 10 years of PreK and Kindergarten experience. I am a lover of all things literacy for children and their curiosity of the world. Get comfy and click around my site. I hope you find something you'll like, and something your kids will love! P.S. Akwaaba means 'welcome' :) Subscribe to get our latest content by email and a FREE reading comprehension guide that supports you BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER you read a book. It also includes an assessment checklist.
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