It can sometimes be difficult to get your toddler excited about learning maths at home. But when you mix maths with arts and crafts, your little one can be more engaged, which in turn, will help them learn faster!
As well as being a source of family fun, these activities also have the advantage of teaching maths in a way that means your toddler may not even realise they are learning. Here are some hands-on and creative maths ideas for toddlers.
1. Caterpillar Finger Painting
This hands-on activity will teach your little one about counting.
All you need to do is have your toddler draw some caterpillar faces down the left-hand side of a bit of paper. Then, write a number from 1-5 next to each caterpillar’s head.
You’ll then need to get some different coloured paints out! Have your child finger paint the caterpillar’s body according to the number next to it. For example, a caterpillar with the number 3 would have 3 fingerprints making up the body.
This will teach your child to recognise numbers and count whilst they make their colourful caterpillars. It’s a great way for your little one to express their artistic side, too!
2. Number posters game
Here, your toddler can really unleash their creativity to prepare for a fun and active maths game.
Write down some numbers on A4 pieces of paper. Then, let your child decorate each number with colouring pencils, crayons, paints – whatever they like! This will help them remember the numbers easier, as they have spent time individually decorating them.
Then, place the numbers on the floor around you or stick them to the walls. This is where the game starts – call out a number and your toddler will run to the correct one. It’s great fun to play with friends or brothers and sisters, as you can make it into a race. Who knew you could combine exercise with maths? It’s a great way for your toddler to expend their energy – especially if stuck indoors on a rainy day.
3. Colour arranging
Patterns and arrangements is definitely a core maths skill that you can work on at home. Understanding size, shape, and patterns is an important early mathematical concept for your little one to learn, so this is a great activity to try out.
For this one, you can draw some circles on a piece of paper. Then, label each circle with a different colour by painting or colouring in the circle.
Then, have your child stick arts and crafts materials that match the colours in the right circles. This could be sequins, stickers, or anything you have lying around.
4. DIY clock face
Telling the time can be a challenging skill to teach to toddlers, but with your very own personalised DIY clock, learning to tell the time can be fun!
For this, you’ll just need a paper plate, some cardboard for the hands, and a split pin. And of course, lots of decorating supplies!
A parent or adult will need to create the clock itself, as the pin is sharp. Cut out a short and longhand, and attach them to the middle of the paper plate, so they spin around like a normal clock.
Then, map out some dotted numbers around the clock for your little one to trace over. This will help them learn to write numbers.
Then comes the fun bit – decorating the clock! For toddlers, having their own clock that they made themselves will get them excited about learning to tell the time. You can even ask them what time they think it might be at different times of the day, or to copy the time from your main household clock.
Fun Maths Activities at Little Angels
At Little Angels, we are proud to help your child learn in a fun and engaging way every day at nursery. Find more information about our facilities here.