As families spend more time inside, we offer free, research-based activities and tips to help parents and caregivers support their young children’s early math learning. During school closures and beyond, these fun and easy ideas engage families and inspire children’s exploration of important early math concepts.
Fun Math Activities Using Everyday Things
10 Family Card Games That Support Early Math Skills
Card games are an inexpensive way to enjoy family fun while also building math skills—all you need is a deck of playing cards!
Math at Your Fingertips! Easy Counting Activities Using Number Gestures
Research shows that both seeing and hearing information can make number concepts easier to grasp.
Origami and Paper Wizards: Fold Some Math into Your Day!
These activities can be done with whatever paper is available—scrap paper, newspapers, or magazine pages would work.
Easy Recipes That Will Get Your Family Talking About Math
Four recipes that children can help make along with tips for talking about math while cooking together.
Math in the Everyday Activities of Latino Families: Doing Math the Mayan Way!
This PDF download guides parents to teach children how to count using common household items, such as beans, sticks, and paper. Also available in Spanish.
Easy Tips for Sparking Math Conversations
Talking About Math With Young Children: It’s Easier Than You Think!
No matter your own experiences with math, we have suggestions to help you talk about math with children and foster positive attitudes toward math.
10 Tips for Reading Math Picture Books with Young Children
Picture books offer many opportunities to find and talk about math concepts.
Math Talk: Measurement at Home
By looking for everyday ways to talk about units and measurement, you can help support children’s developing mathematical understanding.
Spatial Reasoning: Why Math Talk is About More Than Numbers
Strategies for recognizing the spatial talk that many families already engage in, and ideas for how to do even more of it.
Making the Most of Talk About Numbers
Conversations about numbers are a type of parent talk that is critical for children’s math learning.
