Introducing the ideas of what is big, small, short, and tall is as easy as pointing things out and describing them to your child. Most of us are familiar with the stackable rings, or cups and can just take that off of the shelf or out of the box to start comparing. Comparing size, as well as color, is a way to give your child the tools to use when it is time to sort.
Take out the stackable rings and cups to start using words like, “big” and “small”. Stack some blocks of different heights and start using words like “short” and “tall”. Do you have cereal boxes and oatmeal boxes that are shorter or taller? Take those out and compare. Do you go outside and walk and see bushes and trees? Bushes are shorter than trees and trees are taller than bushes, at least where I live. 🙂
The zoo is also a wonderful place to explore the world of big and small, short and tall. The birds are smaller than the zebras. The giraffe is taller than the rhinosaurus. The lions are bigger than the otters. Comparing animals and everything else around you is a way to help your child explore the world, see the world differently, and have the words to describe what your child sees.
If you are interested in reading books about things that are big, small, short, or tall, here is just a short list you may want to look for at your local store or library:
Where does this fit in the Schedule of Activities for 18 months to 3 years?
Answer: On Wednesdays for the math topic.
Schedule of Activities for 18 months to 3 years
Something to Think About:
Introducing vocabulary is not only a good idea for building literacy, but for building the tools for thinking mathematically. It gives all of us the words to describe what we see, hear, and think. Just as some of us have used sign language to help our little ones communicate to us before they can speak, begin using the language to help your child understand the world around them and in mathematics.
As a parent, we might think that we need to hurry up on teaching certain things to our children so that they won’t fall behind. This allows us to become more stressed or pressured if our children are not learning at the rate we think they should. No worries….just breathe. Because even reading this blog and finding out how to help your child become more successful in math should tell you that you are a wonderful and caring parent. If your child takes more time to learn concepts, it is okay. We all learn at different times. Don’t worry too much. 🙂
copyright 2012 learning math with mom
Learning Math with Mom 