Math and Meals

There are lots of math opportunities around mealtimes. Measuring, counting, adding, timing and following a recipe all build math concepts. Serving, portioning and dividing food among family and friends is another way to include some “math talk.” You can cut sandwiches and other foods into shapes that your child can identify and count. Create place mats showing place settings so your child can match and set the table. Include your child in meal planning and shopping. You can create a shopping list just for them by cutting pictures from coupons and circulars. They can then look for these items in the store, match them to the picture and add them to the cart. Allow your child to pick out a certain number of items, such as 6 carrot sticks, 2 cookies, 10 blueberries, during meals or snacks.