Do you look at your Math or Math & Manipulatives Interest Center and wish you had more activities for the children to choose from?
Most of us do. We also think about all the math development we could support if only we had activities and games to support each of the math process skills (and there are over a dozen skills preschoolers develop in this area!).
First, remember that math happens all throughout your classroom every day! I now think of my Preschool Math & Manipulatives Center as a storage area for the tools, materials and games for children. It is simply just where they are stored within the classroom!
Those table blocks might find their way into the sand table to make a cave for the dinosaurs.
The pom poms from the pom pom counting game you placed there may find their way into the most delicious cupcakes being baked in Dramatic Play!
The purpose of the materials you provide should not be for the children to sit at the table and use them only “at the Math Center” but also for use in the other areas of your classroom. Regardless of where they use most materials, they will develop their math skills!
Counting pom poms into pretend cupcakes is math.
Create a cave for dinosaurs that is “6 blocks tall” is math (it is counting, non-standard measuring, spatial awareness learning and more!).
Even File Folder Games will be used for matching, comparing and sorting by your children when they are “teaching” each other in the Library area using the file folder cards, or by teaching their stuffed animals how to sort by color!
The important thing for us is to provide materials that lend themselves to hands-on play and learning!
There are many things you can do to set up your Preschool Math Center! Click here to read my full article on it.
Then come back here and leave a comment: What is YOUR favorite Preschool Math Center material?
Until next time!
Cheryl
