Why Early Math?

Children are natural mathematicians! Long before they enter kindergarten, they are engaging with the world in mathematical ways, from comparing and sorting objects, to noticing patterns, or dividing a treat fairly among friends. Even before children can count, they notice which pile of cookies has more and which has less. They notice who has built the tallest tower or jumped the farthest. Math helps children make sense of the world around them. Research shows that early math skills strongly predict later academic success. And the best way to build this early math knowledge is for young children to have lots of opportunities to talk about math and play with math—especially with parents, grandparents, siblings, caregivers, teachers, and other children. By joining in with children’s play and explorations, adults can give children the tools they need to build their math knowledge.

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