If you’re looking for ways to make your outdoor activities with toddler more fun and engaging, why not incorporate some numbers into the mix? It is never too early to start building your child’s numeracy skills. In fact, it is just as important as other developmental milestones like speech and motor skills.
For toddlers, numeracy skills can provide a strong foundation for math skills down the road. By the age of six years old, your child should be able to count and understand numbers. To help your child grasp these concepts more effectively, outdoor activities can come in handy to allow more hands-on learning and exploration with numbers.
Math can be a lot of fun for your toddler when it is incorporated into their favourite activities. Here are a few suggestions for how to get started.
How to improve your child’s numeracy skills
1. Take your child out for a nature walk
In a nature walk, there are plenty of opportunities to teach your child numbers. As they explore the outdoors, they’ll encounter all sorts of numbers, from the number of steps they take to the number of leaves on a tree. Nature walks thus offer a great opportunity to teach your little one about the order of numbers first. Make sure to start slowly from one to ten so your child can recognise the numbers in their sequence.
As you point out different objects along the way, you can count them out loud and help your childrens to understand what comes before and after each number. With a little practice, your childrens will be able to start counting on their own in no time! As your child becomes more familiar with numbers, have them count along with you. You can challenge them to find a certain number of rocks, leaves, or sticks. This helps them to improve their counting skills while also getting them interested in their surroundings. This activity can also help improve their vocabulary and observation skills.
2. Arrange a scavenger hunt
Another way to introduce your child to numbers is through scavenger hunts. If you have a backyard or garden, you can hide numbered objects around and let your child search for them. As they find each object, they can call out the number. This is a great way to help them learn to identify numbers and understand what they represent. Additionally, it can be an entertaining activity that gets them up and moving for hours.
To take this activity to the next level, you can give your child clues for the number to find (e.g., “This number is one more than three”). Scavenger hunts are a great way to engage childrens in learning and have some fun at the same time. You can also use scavenger hunts to teach other concepts, such as shapes and colours. The next time you’re looking for an activity for your little one, consider a scavenger hunt with a numerical twist.
3. Play hopscotch
A classic game like hopscotch can also help your child to develop number sense and understand basic concepts such as quantity, sequence, and order. All you need is a piece of chalk and a stone or marker. First, draw a hopscotch grid on the ground. Each square should be big enough for your child to comfortably jump into. To turn hopscotch into a learning game, simply draw a number in each square, starting with one and going up to ten. To play, have your child throw a stone or marker into the first square, and then count aloud as they hop through the rest of the squares.
As your child becomes more confident with their counting, you can increase the number of squares. In addition, hopscotch can help improve your child’s coordination and balance.
4. Skipping rope
Skipping rope is another simple activity that will provide endless opportunities for learning, and it can be done anywhere. By keeping track of the number of times the rope goes around, your child can practice counting. You can also have your child count backward from 10. Once they get the hang of it, you can start to introduce more complex concepts like skip counting by 2s or 3s. Not only will this help to improve their numeracy skills, but it will also be a great bonding experience for both of you.
Nurture your little Champ
By encouraging your toddler’s natural curiosity and providing opportunities for exploration, you can help lay the groundwork for a bright future in math. At MindChamps Australia, your child will be exposed to numbers and more in a variety of fun, interactive ways. Here, your child can develop a strong understanding of numbers in a supportive preschool environment and achieve the Champion mindset.
To find out more, book a visit to any one of our MindChamps centres today!