Play & Learn: Math-y Time
Did you know you can develop math concepts with your early learner through everyday connections? Care givers can engage in conversations and hands-on activities with their child to help introduce concepts by asking questions and making observations using simple household materials.
Recognizing repeating patterns is an early math concept that helps children with problem-solving and making predictions. Patterns are things like numbers, shapes, and images that repeat in a logical way. When you understand a pattern, you can make connections and predict what will happen next.
Did you know some stories and rhymes follow a pattern? Engage with your child by reading stories that have repeating or predictable phrases, also known as refrains. After reading the first few pages of the book, or when a pattern becomes apparent, pause and ask your child if they can recognize and describe the pattern. For example, in the story, “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” by Bill Martin Jr., we state the color of the animal before we say its name. Another pattern in this story is that we ask the next animal what they see to move the story along.
Here are some books you can check out using your library card to practice repeating patterns. Search for the titles on the library catalog:
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
- Bark George by Jules Feiffer
- Something from Nothing by Phoebe Gilman
- Mrs. Wishy Washy’s Farm by Joy Cowley
- Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin
- The Napping House by Audrey Wood
- Have You Seen My Cat? by Eric Carle
- Silly Sally by Audrey Wood
- Five Little Monkeys by Eileen Christelow
- No, David by David Shannon
- Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
- The Grouchy Lady Bug by Eric Carle
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
- Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
- Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino and Steven Kellogg
- Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton
- I Don’t Care! Said the Bear by Colin West
- The Gingerbread Man by Karen Schmidt
Be sure to check out our other Play & Learn blog posts for more early learning activities.
