We sorted our baby cereal collection by size and by color. Each time we asked the question, “Which group has more?”
We counted the number of boxes in each group.
Children who have a lot of experience observing how things are alike and different do well with math skills and problem-solving later in their schooling careers. As we begin with simple objects, children learn to apply rules of logic. They consider which objects fit into each set and why other objects do not.
This week we began to take a closer look at some of the rocks in our classroom collection. The children worked in small groups to sort the rocks into two groups, rocks that were DARK and rocks that were NOT DARK (light).
After sorting, some children were ready to try to build patterns.
Soon we will make attempts to record our work by drawing a set of rocks. Making symbols to record events and ideas is the beginning of writing. These activities stretch the emerging academic skills of the children.
In The Nest we usually work with small numbers but sometimes an event prompts us to count higher. When taking attendance the class counts how many children are sitting on the nest. When every child is here we number 18, although with vacations and winter illnesses we haven’t reached eighteen in a while.
Once our baby cereal collection was complete, we lined up all the boxes and guessed how many there might be. Our guesses ranged from 6 to 100. Using six children’s fingers to help us, we counted 60 boxes of baby cereal. Thank you for encouraging your child to earn and give cereal to In Jesus’ Name.
At home, I wonder if your child sorts their toys by size, shape or color. Clean-up time helps children sort toys by uses--art materials can have one storage place, trains go in their box, dolls in a different box. Socks can be sorted by color and matched up into two's.
