How Can Laundry Build Strong Math Skills?

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:
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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. ​

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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.

3-year old counts the clothes and circles the correct number.

6-year old writes sentences to tell the order of completing laundry using sequence words: first, next, then, last

Check out these books to help with the above concepts:

Counting

1. 10 Black Dots by Donald Crews
2. Chicka Chick 1,2,3 by Bill Martin, Jr.
3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
4. Count the Dinosaurs

Shapes

1. Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh
2. Shape by Shape by Suse MacDonald
3. Wild About Shapes by Jeremie Fischer
4. The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns

Sorting

1. Sorting At The Market by Tracey Steffora
2. A Pair of Socks by Stuart J. Murphy
3. Sort it Out! by Barbara Mariconda

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