Teach math vocabulary to kindergarten & preschool children

Fun games to teach math vocabulary...

Learn how to teach math vocabulary as you and your students participate in math activities and games. Children learn the language of math just like they learn to talk about other topics.

Scheduling time for children to talk about their experiences after playing vocabulary building games allows them the opportunity to use new words. There are also great children's picture books that reinforce math vocabulary. Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh is a great example.

Build a Wall (or Train) Vocabulary Game

Materials:
A tub of wooden blocks

To Play:
Ten or so children sit in a circle on the carpet. The first child picks a block and says, "My block is a red rectangle shape." The teacher suggest descriptive words if the child needs help.

The second child has to pick a block that is different than the last block chosen. He/she picks a block and describes it, then places it next to the last block. "My block is round like a can and is blue." Here the teacher could introduce new vocabulary. "That round shape that Joe picked is called a cylinder." The game continues until a wall is made and all the children have had a turn.
Attribute blocks are also terrific for building vocabulary.

Math Vocabulary is Everywhere

Attribute blocks There are many opportunities throughout the day to teach math vocabulary to kindergarten and preschool children. Avoid saying, put the things in the tub, and instead say, put the yellow hexagon blocks in the tub. Say, pass me the thick, square block, not pass the block. Say, Justin pick up the first block, Anne pick up the second block, and I will pick up the third block. Guide the children if they seem unsure of what to do.

Give children opportunities to use their math vocabulary by asking - How did you make that? Tell me what you were thinking. What kinds of blocks did you use? How are your sets of blocks different from Susan's set of blocks? How are they the same?

Some math vocabulary to teach to your kindergarten students

Remember that the objective is to introduce math vocabulary to kindergarten and preschool children as they explore math ideas with concrete objects, not to make them memorize vocabulary.

Introduce math vocabulary as naturally as you would introduce the names of different foods, animals or toys. The more children hear math vocabulary used with everyday activities, the more they will begin to use it correctly.

Sorting - sort, classify, order, sequence, shortest to longest, biggest to smallest

Number and number operations - sets, groups, amount, how many, fewer than, more than, greater than, most, least, the same as, equal, different from, guess, estimate, ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, one-half, one-quarter, one-third, first, last, pairs

Geometry - names of pattern blocks: hexagon, trapezoid, rhombus, square, triangle; circle, point, round, flat, curve, line, corner, edge, face, angle, symmetry, cube, sphere, cylinder, cone, oval, straight, diamond, direction

Measurement - measure, taller than, shorter than, wider than, narrower than, length, volume, weight, area, time, hour, minute, second, Celsius or Fahrenheit, degree, centimeter, meter, inches, feet, yards (choose depending on location), distance, increase, decrease, heavier, lighter

Data Analysis- graph, tally, data, bar graph, pie graph, grid, grid paper, more than, fewer than, always, sometimes, never, compare

Calendar - day, yesterday, tomorrow, week, month, year, date, Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer, seasons, day, night, morning, afternoon, before, after

Money - penny, nickel, dime, quarter, dollar, etc. (according to country currency), cash, bank, save

Position words - near, far, beside, between, inside, outside, above, below, in front, behind, over, under, top, bottom, left, right, closer, further

Teach math vocabulary with everyday things

Whether setting the table, lining up for recess, reading the calendar, displaying collections on the science table, or putting up bulletin board displays there will be opportunities to teach math vocabulary to your kindergarten and preschool students. Also educational learning materials and supplies provide great opportunities to teach math vocabulary.