Are you ready for an easy way to teach pre-math skills that you can implement today? You don’t need to buy anything or print anything out. You just need to know how to brush your teeth.
Math has order in it. Operations have to be done step by step in the right order to obtain the correct result. To do math correctly, children need to understand that some tasks require steps to be done in a certain order.
That’s where brushing teeth comes in. First, you put toothpaste on the toothbrush. Second, you brush every tooth. Third, you rinse and spit. (And you might have some other steps in there as well!)
When you teach your child how to complete a task by following the steps in order, you are teaching them pre-math skills. Better yet, they are physically moving through the steps, which helps to integrate the rhythm of the task into their bodies.
It’s a good idea to use tasks that you can repeat over and over throughout your days. Here are some examples:
- Watering a plant (get out the watering can, put water in it, water the plant a certain way, empty the watering can, return it to its home)
- Washing, drying, folding, and putting away laundry
- Washing, drying, and putting away dishes
- Setting and clearing the table
- Baking (ideally repeating a recipe over and over so the child practically learns it by heart)
- Handwork like wet wool felting
- Going potty
- Washing hands
Another bonus is that your children will learn life skills through these tasks!