Get preschoolers interested in math concepts by providing memorable activities. Math activities for preschoolers should focus on age-appropriate cognitive concepts such as counting, sorting and ranking. Some math lesson plans should also teach preschoolers how to make and read basic graphs. As many child daycare centers begin to get students ready for kindergarten, consider this muffin tin counting activity. This muffin tin math activity supports cognitive development.
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Cognitive Development in Preschoolers
Cognitive development focuses on developing functions of the brain such as thinking, learning, awareness, judgment, and processing information. According to developmental psychologist Jean Piaget, children go through several stages of cognitive development and learning activities for toddlers and children should correspond to the appropriate developmental.
Muffin Tin Math is a counting/cognitive activity for preschoolers that helps them learn and practice the skills of classification, relationships, and counting. This lesson plan includes preparation instructions, procedures, and materials list for this activity. The lesson plan also includes age-appropriate learning objectives and examples of the simple supporting verbal cues necessary to encourage participation and support learning in child care centers.
Muffin Tin Math Activity Materials
Muffin tin
Muffin Cups
Small pompoms
Marker
Muffin Tin Math Activity Preparation
Write the numbers the children are learning in the bottom of the muffin cup along with the corresponding number of dots. Place the numbered muffin cups in the muffin tin. Set out an assortment of counting objects.
Tip: You can also use other items for counting such as pasta or mini marshmallows. Encourage preschool children to count objects that are familiar to them, in order to hold their attention In addition. If the children are learning numbers 1-6 use a 6 cup muffin tin, if they are learning up to the number 12, use a 12 cup muffin tin. Also, you can use a 6 cup muffin tin and beginning numbering the 6 numbers wherever you choose, depending on what the kids are learning, such as 6 -11.
Muffin Tin Math Procedure
Invite the children over activity area and explain to them that they will be doing a counting activity. Ask the children to put the appropriate number of object into each muffin tin.
Objective 1: To develop an understanding of math and number awareness by encouraging numeral identification
Verbal Cue A: How many buttons belong in this section?
Verbal Cue B: What number is in this muffin cup?
Objective 2: To develop an understanding of one-to-one correspondence (that each object being counted represents “one more.”)
Verbal cue A: Let’s count out 3 buttons.
Verbal Cue B: Add one more marshmallow to make 6.
Objective 3: To introduce the number concept of 1-10
Verbal Cue A: Let’s count the number of buttons in this tin.
Verbal Cue B: How many marshmallows are in this section?
With this Muffin Tin Math activity, children in daycare will learn important cognitive skills such as sorting and classification as well as spend time becoming familiar counting and number recognition.
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