Summer Math Activities for Preschoolers
Help Kids Observe Patterns, Shapes with Outdoor Math Games
Jun 10, 2009
Even though it might be summer, preschoolers are still learning at an amazingly fast rate. Take advantage of their curious and eager minds by enhancing their math abilities through hands on math activities designed specifically for the summertime. With these and other types of fun math games, young children will better understand logic, patterns, shapes, and other mathematical concepts.
Finding Shapes in Nature
Going on a shape hunt outdoors can be a lot of fun for preschoolers. Give each a checklist with various shapes on it and ask them to find the shapes in the backyard, on the edge of a wooded area, or around the house. Have the little ones count up how many of each shape (circle, square, triangle, oval, etc.) they could find in a certain amount of time.
Counting Tree Rings
Before lighting that evening campfire, check out the logs. Show the little ones how to tell the age of a tree by counting rings (each one equals a year) starting from the outside on the cut section of a tree log. Try different sized logs to see if larger ones are always older. Also, check out different types of tree logs such as pine, oak, or maple, if available. Will different types of trees have thicker or thinner rings?
Collecting Rain
Using a measuring cup or rain gauge, collect rainwater during rainy weather days in the summer. Show the children how to measure the liquid accurately with the measuring device. This activity will teach small children about volume. Then, on a hot day a measured cup of water could be placed outdoors for an hour or two. What will happen to the water level in the cup? Measure it with the children to demonstrate evaporation.
Nature’s Patterns
Have preschool children observe the different types of mathematical patterns occurring in nature. Look at flower designs (count the petals), patterns in rocks, leaf structures, the ringlets that form when a drop hits a puddle of water, and countless more.
The beach is a great place to look for mathematical patterns. Check out the patterns on seashells and in the sand. What happens when a heavy rock is dropped on the sand? What about the ocean wave patterns? How many waves wash up on shore before the next large wave hits? Is there a pattern that repeats?
Just as parents might continue reading bedtime stories this summer to their preschool children, they should also consider engaging youngsters in math activities. Many preschoolers do not have a good understanding of math concepts and this can ultimately lead to a dislike (or even a fear) of the subject. Start preschoolers off on the right foot with math. Play fun summertime games with preschoolers and make math an important part of the equation.
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