• Before going outdoors, take an inventory of what is needed (two mittens, one hat, one coat, etc.)

• While outdoors, what amount or number of something (leaves, nuts, etc.) will fit into your pockets? This will also work indoors with other types of pockets and items.

• How many giant steps does it take to walk from point A to point B?

• Make a map of the classroom and mark the routes that a child can take to move from one location to another. Do the same thing with the playground. Then actually follow the map and walk the route.

• During cleanup, put away all the round items, all the things that are not round, put away five things, etc.

• Challenge children to: put your toes over your head, put your hand lower than your stomach, hold up a few fingers.

• Touch a child’s back. Is it a few fingers, many fingers? Is it high or low?

• Put up to five items in your pocket. Have the children guess how many are there. Say “That’s too many, that’s too few” until they guess the correct amount.

• Have children group themselves by their clothing (type of shirts, color of socks, type of shoes, length of sleeves, with or without belts, etc).

• Make a graph of favorites (sandwich, animal, color, ice cream, etc) and then group the children together that have like similarities.

   
  
Math Activities for Infants and Toddlers

• Putting baby on her tummy on a soft blanket, display a few toys. Count the toys as you display them.

• As the baby is rocking on his hands and knees, join him and count as he rocks and make up a chant.

• Use a laundry basket or other container that can hold safe, soft, balls. As the toddler takes out each ball, count the balls.

• As toddlers walk up or down steps, count the steps.

• As you play on the playground, count the number of trees you see, the number of cars that drive by, etc.