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Get into the root of numbers!

Get into the root of numbers!

Almost everything around us involves numbers. From the point a person is born to the time he/she dies, we are all surrounded by numbers in some form or the other. 

Playing with numbers is fun if you use a bit of imagination.

Counting, which is considered a vital preschool math skill is more bountiful than simply reciting numbers. Let’s get into the root of numbers for pre-schoolers!

Teaching your kid numbers can be a difficult task in the beginning, but it is great idea to begin introducing numbers to your kid after they turn one.

It is incredibly essential to get preschoolers to perceive that numbers are quantities; they learn all these skills as they count objects.

Teaching numbers to kids can be managed through different tools and techniques. As a parent, you can motivate them to associate numbers with activities that they perform daily.

These hands-on ideas will improve your preschooler’s count furthermore and generate a more enhanced understanding and knowledge for the numbers.

  • One can start with the famous number of verses, like ‘One, Two, Buckle My Shoe,’ ‘Ten Green Bottles,’ or 1,2,3,4,5, Once I caught a fish alive’.
  • You can also look out for easy things or objects that they find in their everyday experiences, such
    as one apple, two dogs, three chocolates, and so on.

This way, you can make learning numbers for kids quite playful and enjoyable.

How to Teach Numbers to Preschoolers?

root of numbers
Play with numbers !

At the beginning level, you can start by teaching kids through various simple activities.

1) Teach Counting with Number Rhymes
One of the best ways to teach kids numbers is through rhymes and songs that make fun with
numbers in math.

One can make use of number songs and rhymes like ’10 Little Monkeys jumping on the Bed’, ‘This Old Man – He Played One’, etc., to teach children regarding numbers in an immensely delightful with your child. 


2) Perform Number Games with a Group of Kids

Children absorb better while they continue to play with children of their age.

As a parent, you can promote some healthy engagement in the children’s club to motivate them, as well. Get them to assemble in the form of a circle, plus ask them to take turns counting numbers.


3) Write Down Numbers and Make the Kid Draw that Quantity

The best way to start this exercise is to pen down numbers in a sketchbook and make your kid
draw something that expresses the number.

For example, write number 5 and ask them to draw five flowers. Or wite number 2, and ask the kid to draw two apples. So on, and so forth.

You can also do the reverse of this by drawing certain amounts of an object and asking your kid to count them plus tell you the whole. 

All the above activities hold a great strength in drawing with numbers for your kid and occupy
them with knowledge of adding numbers in words.

Number based Activities for Preschoolers

Several ABC recognition activities can likewise be adjusted for numbers. 


1) Move out in nature and collect things that can make counting more interesting. E.g., Ask your
kid to collect 5 flowers, 3 leaves, etc.


2) Make use of paper balls and ask them to count.


3) Make something in the kitchen and ask them the measure and number of things required or
needed


4) Spread out clothes on the balcony and ask them to identify the color of the cloth and its
quantity


5) Sort out objects by colors and count how many of them do you have


6) Play and learn while rolling a dice


7) Have a counting race of any objects


8) Spread out different numbers in a garden and ask children to grab the one specified.


Numbers are fun when you know the right form to get it delivered.

These are few ways on how you can engage your kid into the world of numbers by helping them out with various number game activities.

Till then, keep playing. Keep counting.

Stay tuned for more such articles. 🙂

Maths  –  My Fear Dragon, How to overcome it

Maths – My Fear Dragon, How to overcome it

The fear of Math is a phenomenon that is known as Math Phobia in clinical terms. Sometimes we feel that the world ought to be divided into two parts- Those who don’t like Math and those who dislike Math! 

For the longest time, I resisted the movie Life of Pi because I thought it had something to do with numbers! Seriously, I could never understand the ‘WHY’ behind wasting good paper and ink to do those mind boggling sums. 

By class 3, I had learnt the maths which today, I actually use in everyday life. Everything learnt thereafter (absolutely unused) is still residing as a trauma in some dormant part of my head! 

I dream of theorems sometimes and often wake up kicking, screaming and crying☺

But unless the Indian education system wakes up and smells the coffee, we are stuck. And when life gives you lemons, make lemonade! 

So, what are the ways out that can change our relationships with these numbers? Some of them we suggest are as follows:-

  1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT : Like all other fears, the first step to outgrow the fear is to acknowledge it. 

So when you find that someone is afraid of the subject, take the first step by writing down the reasons, which are actually making you feel afraid. There are studies that show that writing down worries before exams basically helps in the performance during the exam, the reason being, the cause of worry is already identified.

  1. MAKING IT SIMPLE : Make an effort to make the numbers relatable to yourself. life. So, take up small but meaningful exercises that deal with numbers or calculations, so that you no longer feel unacquainted with the basic concept of calculations. Once this is in place, the fear will also gradually subside.
  1. CONCEPT : Examine the concept in great detail and with oodles of patience. INVEST time and energies here.
  1. PRACTICE : Get your stationery in gear, earmark the sums to be attempted (say 10) and set a TIMER for say 15 mins (you may get a time estimate from your teacher, coach or senior) 
  1. GRADE : Once you finish those sums, mark your answers. Self appraisal always helps you to determine where you stand among crowd. Four days of consistent practice in a week will reflect in a more confident and effective you. 
  1. LEARNING FROM MISTAKES : Learn from the mistakes you commit while learning. Never reproach yourself when you make an error. You may have to repeat yourself several times, but remember, these multiple times explanation will help you to understand the basics in a much better manner and keep yourself in good stead in future Math classes.

Finally, practice is the best and most effective way to do away with the fear of Math and also improve in the subject. 

There are innumerable instances that show that practicing Math help the kids to improve their performance and at the same time also develop a genuine interest in the subject, so much so, some kids even end up deciding that this the subject that they wish to take up in their high school and college. 

But at the onset, make sure that you do not dump the exercise of practicing Math drudgery. Make the exercise interesting, engaging and rewarding. Appreciate correct answers and do not reproach mistakes.

We sincerely hope that the above helps you to kindle the Mathematician in you