We are all born with a learning spirit, and when we love and care for children, we want to keep their learning spirits alive and well. The activities in this book are designed for families to do together. All the activities will help children learn to think about numbers and shapes and patterns—that is, they will learn to do “math thinking.” But besides the mind, the activities involve the spirit, heart, and body.
Spirit: We want to nourish the learning spirit, so that children become aware of themselves as learners. Activities such as counting out plates for dinner help kids feel that they belong to the family and contribute to family life. They develop a sense of themselves as people who can solve problems. Looking at shapes, numbers, and patterns in nature makes them aware of the beauty and order that surround them.
Heart: When adults do these activities with children, the children feel loved. When the children are successful at the activities, they feel confident and happy to take on another challenge. When the activities contribute to family life, children feel responsible, and proud of their ability to take part.
Body: The activities here all involve doing something. It is not enough to think about things. When you do something in the real world, there is usually a reaction — someone or something does something back. The reaction teaches you something, and you may begin to think in a different way because of it. Sometimes we can’t think of what to do, but something says, “Just try this…” and we do, and it works.