Number Play

Much of the learning in Pre-K happens organically, growing out of our daily interactions and explorations.  The number blocks you see here were on a shelf with a variety of other blocks.  One of the children pulled them out and began organizing them by number on his own.  After a brief discussion about whether the seven might be a one, he proudly shared his accomplishment with the other children.

This activity encompasses a few mathematical concepts and even a couple of ideas we usually attribute to literacy.  He recognized that the blocks were symbolic representations of  numbers.  In deciding what to do with the blocks, the child used problem solving strategies, number order (though backwards), and balance.

If you are interested in reading more about how young children learn mathematical concepts and how Pre-K classes sequence the learning, check out Ohio’s Early Childhood Building Blocks: Making Math Meaningful and Enjoyable by Pam Schiller.

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