When my children were younger, I always found ways to incorporate math into their everyday lives. Our favorite summer spot is the beach, and I loved showing them all the different ways we could find math while enjoying the sun and sand.
Try these 10 incredibly fun ideas with your child to help integrate counting, numbers, and even geometry at a young age.
1. Collect shells and count them one-by-one for small groups of numbers, or group the shells by tens to count larger numbers.
2. Practice writing numbers or drawing shapes in the sand with a small stick or shell. Your child can read the number/shape you write, or can write the number/shape you say out loud.
3. Practice geometry by finding different shapes in the clouds, on sailboats, lifeguard stands, towels, etc.
4. Count the seconds in between waves crashing to help develop a sense of time.
5. Have your child estimate the number of people sitting near you and then count to see the accuracy of his estimate.
6. Say math problems verbally and have your child write her answer in the sand.
7. Line up shells from smallest to largest or largest to smallest to compare and practice measurement.
8. Count how long each family member can hold his breath underwater.
9. Practice sorting by placing shells into different categories, such as color, size, or type.
10. Build number sense by writing numbers on your child’s back. Then, have her guess the number or vice versa.
It’s important for young children to see numbers and count daily. Try some of the above ideas to help promote math with your child while having a great time at the beach!
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