Articles
‹‹ Return to all Child Growth & Development resources
How can you make math engaging in your classroom?
While some students naturally find math to be fun, another portion of your classroom may not. Sparking an interest in math early on sets children up for academic success. This is why it is important for early childhood educators to make math engaging in their classroom. Through a variety of teaching strategies and activities, teachers can ensure that their classroom is an exciting place for young children:
- Make math a game: From incorporating educational apps into your lessons to having your students participate in engaging activities, there are plenty of games to choose from to make math fun. For example, during the fall, you can take a trip outdoors near a tree that is shedding its leaves. Line up children in two lines and call out a number between one and 10. The students will race to go grab the amount of leaves you instructed. You can make it more difficult by specifying a certain color or shape as well.
- Make math real: Use every opportunity you can to make math apply to real life. For example, set up a "store" at your desk and hand out fake money to your students. They can then come to you to "buy" small snacks or trinkets you are selling with the money given to them. They will have to count out how many bills to give you, helping them learn how to handle money, along with building confidence.
To learn more about how to engage your students with math, check out our course on "Manipulatives for Teaching Young Children Math."
