Ideas for math activities for 2 year olds?

Early Learning Teaching Your Child Math
1

Hi there, I’m just looking for inspiration for more math related activities for my toddler.

We use LM and try to count things as much as possible. We have foam numbers in the tub and bought this cool vinyl number line that he runs on sometimes…

But what else??

What level of puzzles or games is appropriate?
Are matching card games considered math games?
I think workbooks and concepts of time and measurement are still a bit too advanced for him.

Any and all ideas are welcome…

mom2ross

2

Here are some of the math-related activities that I have been doing with my 26 month old:

  1. She has mastered all the basic 2D shapes in English and Chinese. So I printed out these 3D geometric shapes on cardstock: http://www.senteacher.org/Worksheet/12/Nets.xhtml , pre-cut them by myself (she is too young to handle scissors), and asked her to help me glue and construct the models. Then I made labels in English and Chinese and play a game with her where she matches the names of the geometric solids to the models.

  2. I printed out these free number printables and let her color/trace/circle the number. Since my daughter can already read, I just guide her in reading the instructions and following the directions. Here is a sample for learning about the number 1:
    http://www.printactivities.com/TracingLetters/Numbers/LearningNumbers_1.html

You can find the rest of the numbers here: http://www.printactivities.com/Tracing.html

  1. I am not particularly fond of using computer or TV games for teaching kids but this website lists the math skills that students learn at each level. This is the link for the pre-K level: http://www.ixl.com/math/grade/pre-k/ I have been letting her answer one section at a time. I taught her how to press the correct answer on the keyboard and then press “Enter” and she gets a gold medal on the site after successfully completing a section. There is a limited number of questions you can answer per day if you are not a member (which I am not) but that actually works for me because I don’t like her spending too much time punching keys on the computer. I let her complete one section under one category per day which takes less than 5 minutes.
3

Dominoes are fun and can have physical depressions for each dot to count, recognize, etc.

Tangrams and pattern blocks are wonderful for using shapes to create a picture or figuring out what shapes you can use to make other shapes (ex: two trapezoids make a hexagon, but you can make one with triangles or diamonds too.

4

I remember when DD is 2 yr old, I used cute cards with vivid pictures and some other baubles. Anyway, intuitionistic and material stuff will be Ok! :clown:

5

Wow thanks Vaangeles for all the links, especially http://www.ixl.com/math/grade/pre-k/

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Hi Aangles,

Thanks for the great links. I was just looking for some ideas to teach my son to on simple tracing . Your links came in handy.

Champdiva

7

You’re welcome! :smiley: