Have you ever thought about taking math outside? “Being outside enables connections to be made between the hands, heart and head, laying the foundation for more complex work as children grow, develop and learn. The natural and built worlds provide dynamic and constantly changing environments, offering an endless supply of patterns, textures, quantities and other attributes that underpin much of the necessary early maths experiences” (Messy Maths: A Playful, Outdoor Approach for Early Years)
As you are outside with your child, there are many rich and meaningful activities to engage in. Here are some to try out:
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Collect data about the natural world (e.g. types of birds, how many maple trees do you see?)
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Creating shapes out of found objects - discuss properties of shapes
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Shape hunting
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Determine the height of trees or poles using shadows
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Finding symmetry in nature
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Determining the area of different spaces
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Figuring out distances and how long it will take to travel between points
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Looking for similarities and differences between plants and trees
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Look for patterns in nature and discuss how you know it’s a pattern
To find out what your child will learn in math next year or to find other fun activities that you can do together as a family, please visit the mathematics page. Be sure to also try out Problem of the Month.