You can learn a lot about you child by simply observing the way they play. The items they choose and how they use those items can give you great intel into how your kiddo's little brain works. It's even possible to hone in on what areas they may excel at in the future based on the things they do as toddlers. Different types of learners tend to gravitate toward difference areas of academics. If you think you've noticed early signs your child will be good at math, then you have identified an area where you can help them grow and learn.
Once you feel that math is going to be a strong suit for your child, you can encourage activities and lessons that incorporate those skills. Little number lovers will dive right into games that let them flex their math muscles. Luckily, there are plenty of items around the house you can use to build on their aptitude. In fact, your child probably chooses these activities already. Sorting, counting, measuring, and building are all ways your little one is telling you that they dig math.
If you've had a feeling your child was going to do well at math, check out these common signs of early math readiness.
1They Love To Sort
If your little one loves to organize and sort items by color, shape, or likeness, you could have a tiny math wizard on your hands. According to Baby Center, looking for patterns is a sign of an analytical thinker, a type which usually excels in math.
2They Love Blocks
Kids are leaning more than you realize when building with blocks. Exploring shape and balance, and how these work together is a young child's first introduction to advanced math skills, as a paper published in the American Journal of Play noted.
3They Understand Abstract Concepts
Abstract thinking is the foundation for math skills. As the website for Scholastic pointed out, if you child can tell which of two very small collections is greater than the other, their budding math skills are on the right path.
4They Identify Patterns
All types of patterns exist in a child's life, and recognizing the order of patterns sets them up for math success. Repeating color patterns is usually one of the first ways kids show you they understand this concept, according to the website for PBS.
5They Have Strong Spacial Awareness
Does your child know the difference between near and far? Full and empty? Then she has a good grasp on spacial awareness, which is an essential building block of good math skills, Parenting magazine reported.
6They Identify Shapes
Many young kiddos can identify a triangle when drawn on a piece of paper, but ask your child if she can tell you what shape certain objects, such as the front door, are. According to Scholastic's website, pulling individual shapes out of a picture or room is a sign of next level math skills.
7They Love To Count
Counting may seem basic, but it's needed to understand the complexities of all kinds of math. According to the website for the National Council of Teacher of Mathematics, counting helps children understand length, distance, and volume, among other math skills. So welcome the sound of repetitive counting as your little one goes form one to 10 in the backseat each morning.
