Make-Your-Own Math Practice

What you need:

• Drawing paper 
• Markers and/or crayons 
• Ink pad and stamps 
• Bookbinding materials: a stapler, or a hole punch and yarn or small binder rings 

What to do:

1. The Shape of Things: Can your child identify a circle, square, triangle, or rectangle in the objects around her? Take a walk and encourage her to notice shapes that appear on the ground, in buildings (doors and windows), or on signs. Take notes on what you see. At home, invite your child to draw and label geometric shapes for each page of her shapes book. Have her create a cover and title for the book, and bind the pages using the stapler or hole punch.
2. Pattern Play: Talk to your child about the ways patterns make up our environment, and help him find some around your home or neighborhood. Encourage him to describe the repetition of shapes, colors, or designs that creates the patterns he's discovered. Using an ink pad and stamps, encourage him to make his own patterns. He can alternate colors, number of objects, and so on. Once he has a small collection of pattern prints, bind them together into a book. 
3. Count Away: Number books help children learn about number identification and quantity. Invite your child to make her own. She can start by drawing pictures of, or finding photos of, things she loves (butterflies, fish, balls). Then, she can arrange them in groups or in the shape of a number: How about the number 7 made out of ladybugs? Create one page for each number from 1 to 10. When the pages are complete, bind them together into a book. 

Learning benefits:

• Supports early math learning 
• Builds observation skills 
• Promotes eye-hand coordination