Parents who talk about big ideas in math prepare their children best to do well in school and at home. What is Math Talk? Math is more than numbers. It is an abstract way of solving problems. Math uses patterns, measurement, logic and order to describe space, time and other relationships. Babies’ brains are practically born understanding the big ideas of more/no more or same/different. Toddlers play with math ideas, but they need parents to give them the words. When parents repeat math words, they help children grow from counting their toes into confident mathematicians. Parents who fear math can teach their child math words like circle, sphere, curved, straight, empty, full. Say what you see a child do. It is a process, not a test.
Our book, The Gift of Words: How Do Children Learn to Talk? is based on recent research about how babies and toddlers learn to Math Talk. There are also activities supporting parents as they live their important role as their child’s first math teacher. See www.talktomemama.com and www.Facebook.com/talktomemama. Or go to our partner Play Smart Literacy at https://bit.ly/welcomeplaysmart to share literacy games, play videos and make contact with play coaches on Chicago’s South Side.