This post is by regular contributor Kate Gribble of An Everyday Story.
My daughter is just about to turn three. She is wildly inquisitive and wants to know and understand everything. She is coming out of that infant and early toddler stage of exploring mostly with her senses and is now starting to ask questions; how things work, why different things happen… it’s such a great age. She is also starting to represent different things in her drawings and art, as well as including elements of early numeracy in her imaginative play.
About once a month I rotate all the materials on our playroom shelves and create new explorations for Sarah and her older brother (5yrs). Here’s some of the numeracy explorations I have out at the moment. Sometimes Sarah will take a basket or tray off the shelf and play by herself, other times we will work together in a more focused way.
All of these explorations are simple to put together. You can use almost any materials you have around the house. I like to use beautiful, natural materials as much as possible – they are so aesthetically pleasing that I just can’t seem to go pass them.
Some use small parts so please use your own common sense when preparing similar explorations for your child.
I encourage you to create some simple math explorations for your older toddler. When you’re arranging them on your play shelves, keep it simple in a nice thrifted tray or cane basket. Gather a small collection of materials and include a simple placemat for your child to work on. Happy exploring.
Do you have a curious toddler? How could you incorporate some early math learning into your day?
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Kate Gribble is a home-educating mama of two. She taught high school (specialising in Literacy and Special Needs) for nine years before choosing to finish paid-work to be home with her children. After making the decision to homeschool, Kate researched child-led discovery type learning and came across Reggio and Montessori. The beauty, the simplicity and the focus on art and nature had her hooked. In her own time Kate likes to dabble in photography. She is a hopeless but aspiring kitchen gardener and loves a bit of crafty goodness.
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