How a child learns to use math
Math is a tool we can use to solve all kinds of problems. How many hot dogs should we cook for a crowd? When should I leave home to get to school on time? What is the best way to arrange things in my closet?

You want your kid to learn how to use math as a tool. You want your kid to be able to solve some problems for herself. Four steps will help your kids learn to use math to solve problems: notice, think, do, talk.

Notice
Kids are born to pay attention to what goes on around them. That’s the way they learn. Sometimes kids learn to shut down, and then it’s hard for them to learn new things.

How can you encourage your child to notice what’s going on? Pay attention to whatever he pays attention to. Show you are interested by smiling or asking a question. Tell him that you have noticed the same thing, or that you have noticed something else.

Think
A child will think about things she notices. Why is it different today than yesterday? Why won’t the door close? How did that happen? Where did it go? When will it all change?

How can you encourage your child to think? Give her lots of chances to see and hear and play in different places and with different people. Don’t give her all the answervt her think and come up with her own answers.