We use math in lots of our daily activities.
And we use math manipulatives in our play and learn math concepts along the way.
I believe that this gives them a good foundation for the work they do in books later on.
Teddy Bear Math
Counting and sorting Teddy Bears
Geometry with Pattern Blocks. The older kids did these.
Math with M&M’s. This activity actually combines language arts and math. M was the letter of the week. So we did lots of M activities. And some of them involved color sorting and counting M&M’s. After they did the math, they got to eat the M&M’s.
Cooking Math
We have done lots of math with cooking. Here they are making Monkey Bread. My kids have learned about fractions from measuring ingredients. At least, they know how to read a fraction and have a pretty good idea of what fractions are.
They had to tear the biscuits into fourths and roll them in the cinnamon sugar. Then they put them in the bundt pan. I spooned some butter mixed with cinnamon and sugar over all the balls in the bundt pan.
Then we baked it and voila! Monkey Bread!
Math can be fun and delicious when you use manipulatives!
"Oh that God would give every mother a vision of the glory and splendor of the work that is given to her when a babe is placed in her bosom to be nursed and trained! Could she have but one glimpse in to the future of that life as it reaches on into eternity; could she look into its soul to see its possibilities; could she be made to understand her own personal responsibility for the training of this child, for the development of its life, and for its destiny,--she would see that in all God's world there is no other work so noble and so worthy of her best powers, and she would commit to no other's hands the sacred and holy trust given to her." -JR Miller
What a great way to food when teaching math. I am sure the children were really engaged.
Oh yes, they loved it! That gives me an idea for our Math lesson tomorrow!!!