There’s nothing worse than hearing your darling kindergartner declare that math is boring and that they do not like it. It’s a huge punch in the stomach after you spent the time researching curricula and paid all the money. Before you panic, keep reading because I am going to share with you 10 fun ways to teach math to your kindergartner. Scroll to the end of the post for a free math printable.
Here are 10 fun ways to teach math to your kindergartner:
Pattern Blocks and Stickers
Trying to teach the concept of patterns and your kids are just not getting it? Or if they are getting it, they seemed annoyed with the fact that they have to simply circle to complete the pattern. This is when I suggest you grab the pattern blocks or even stickers!
Create simple patterns such as AB patterns and make them as complex as your kids want. Just ensure that you have enough stickers handy. The dollar store can be the perfect place to stock up on stickers.
Stickers are also perfect for counting and sorting. As you can see in this 2D Sticker Matching post, my son was able to sort the stickers by shape. I could have easily grabbed the sorting cups and had him sort them by color as well.
Clothespins, Clip Cards and Manipulatives
Did you know that both fine motor skills and pencil grasp development are important in the life of a kindergartner? These skills help them to cut, tie their laces, hold a pencil or crayon to write and much more.
Clip cards and clothespins are another exciting and fun way to help your kids with math. You can either make your own by grabbing some paper and drawing a few boxes or by grabbing a free printable for that concept.
If your little one isn’t quite ready for clothespins, then simply use counters! I created a Christmas themed clip card set for my son when he was younger but he refused to touch the clothespins. Instead, he chose to place a transparent counter on the answer. He still had fun even if he ignored the clothespins.
Magnifying Glasses for Hidden Numbers
This was a huge hit with my kids because they loved to pretend that they were detectives. They had to use the magnifying glass to find all the hidden numbers on the page. In this Pets Hidden Number Game, my kids had to find the numbers 1-10 hidden in the picture.
I even switched it up when my daughter was working on consonant blends!
Using Dominoes for Math Skills
Did you know that dominoes are perfect for counting as well as subtitling and addition facts!
If you are working on counting, simply have your kids count the dots. Working on addition facts? Have them count the number of dots on the left as well as the ones on the right.
Use Math Story Books
I love finding a good Math story book and Teddy Bear Counting was a good one. My kids were able to solidify shapes and other concepts by following the actions of the bears in the book. You can find a few suggestions for Math books to read with your kids below.
Teddy Bear Counting (McGrath Math)
Bedtime Math: A Fun Excuse to Stay Up Late (Bedtime Math Series)
The Girl With a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague (Amazing Scientists)
The Math Inspectors: Story One – The Case of the Claymore Diamond (Volume 1)
The Grapes Of Math
Full House: An Invitation to Fractions
The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos
Spaghetti And Meatballs For All! (Scholastic Bookshelf)
Multiplying Menace: The Revenge of Rumpelstiltskin (Charlesbridge Math Adventures)
Dry Erase Crayons and Dry Erase Markers
My daughter loves to color and one of her favorite activities is coloring by numbers. On any given day you can find a drawing and some elaborate coloring in her room. This love of coloring had a downside however. You can only color the page once!
To solve this, I grabbed sheet protectors and a few dry erase markers and crayons. I placed the coloring page in the sheet and she colored. Once she was done, all we had to do was wipe it off and she could color again!
Math Puzzles
My daughter also went through a puzzle phase. She used every puzzle she could find in the house and even received a few from her grandparents. This led me to create these simple Apple Missing Number Addition puzzles for her.
Scissors and Glue
In all my years of homeschooling my kids, ensuring that their activities includes cutting and pasting was a guaranteed hit. I am always shocked at how much they love it.
This FREE Dinosaur Cut and Paste Ten Frames printable is available for you to try with your kids.
Download the FREE Cut & Paste Printable
You want your kids to have a solid foundation in math and you want them to love learning. Teaching math to your kindergartner doesn’t have to be boring and it doesn’t have to be hard. There are several tools that can be used such as the ones mentioned above. If you are looking for a hands-on math curriculum try Right Start Math.
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Carrie is the owner & operator of Homeschool Giveaways. She has been homeschooling for over a decade and has successfully graduated her first homeschooler. She has two girls and works side by side at home with her awesome husband. She has been saved by grace, fails daily, but continues to strive toward the prize of the high calling of being a daughter of the Most High God.
