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(Unit 2) Topic 5: Math for Young Children

2 Clock Hours of Early Childhood Education

Everyday Infant and Toddler Math

Topic 5 Page 4

Infants are observing and taking in the world around them. If they are awake, they are learning about the people and things that are near them. From a very young age, they develop a sense of routine and habit and understand when things change. This may be a cause for alarm for some infants initially, but when they feel a sense of security and safety, either from caregivers or surroundings, the transition can be easier.

Let’s examine some everyday infant and toddler math experiences:

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Mario is 4 months old. He is typically fed by mom or dad by laying in their arms. Today, Mario’s dad is feeding him and tries to sit him in a high chair for his bottle. Mario notices that this is different and does not want to cooperate. He becomes fussy and refuses to take the bottle.

Mario is developing early classification skills. Classification skills are when things can be organized by type. Mario notices that this feeding is different than his usual feedings and is in a different category than what he would prefer.

Kiesha is 12 months old. She finishes her snack of pears and signs “more” to her grandmother. Her grandmother laughs and asks Kiesha if she is still hungry. Kiesha signs “more” again, and her grandmother puts two more pear slices into her bowl.

Kiesha is understanding quantity. She has run out of her snack and realizes that she would like more of it. She communicates her needs by using the sign language that her grandmother has taught her. Other children her age may gesture, speak, or fuss to communicate their needs.

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Jordan is 2 years old. He and his mother are at the grocery store. Jordan is sitting in the shopping cart with his mother’s cell phone in his hand. Her purse is next to him in the cart. He begins putting the cell phone into different pockets of her purse. When they do not fit, his mother encourages him to try different pockets of her purse. Eventually he finds a pocket that fits well. His mother claps and praises him for a job well done, and he claps and smiles.

Jordan is exploring spatial relationships by testing the fit of the cell phone in different pockets. He has learned that not all objects take up the same amount of space. He can use this information with other objects and further develop his math skills.

Alice is 30 months old (2.5 years). Her teacher is singing 10 Little Pumpkins with the class. The teacher encourages the children to count and sing along with her while holding up her hands and counting down. Alice sings and dances along to the song and points to the teacher’s hands as the counting continues.

Alice is beginning to count! She may not be able to count on her own just yet, but early exposure to these kinds of counting songs gives her the tools to build early math skills.