Learning Maths at home in a Montessori way ‘Treasures Hunting’

Learning Maths at home in a Montessori way ‘Treasures Hunting’

Let’s learn and practice some Maths at home today.

In our Montessori classroom, our children’s Maths journey starts with recognition of number symbols 1 to 9 (0 comes later) by tracing Sandpaper Numerals, followed by learning quantities via counting Number Rods.

Subsequently, we combine symbols and quantities together through activities and games, such as, Spindle box, Cards and Counters, and Memory games, to consolidate their learning and prepare them for the further learning of Decimal System.

Many children in early age are capable to recognise some numerals or all of them.

It is always beneficial to keep practicing and reinforce these fundamental knowledges. The more time they count and practice, the faster they can count.

In addition, repeated practices will prepare them for mental maths, so that they will be able to manipulate numbers in their head in various ways in order to do calculations.

So, let’s play some games at home with numbers.

GAME 1 – Treasures hunting

Materials needed:

1. A marker for writing
2. 10 small pieces of paper to write numerals on
3. An empty space, such as, on the table or floor

Preparation:

1. Ready to have fun

Steps:

1. Write numerals from 1 to 10 on paper, 1 number on 1 piece of paper. Children can write themselves or get help from siblings or Parents.
2. Choose a piece of paper with a numeral as a start, for instance, “2”, then go around the house, to find two similar items as the treasure (eg. bananas), bring them to the table or floor, put the numeral 2 next to the 2 bananas.
3. Repeat the step 2, till you find all treasures to match 1 to 10. Count them again, make sure the numerals and treasures match correctly.
4. Take a photo and share with everyone online. Please check out an example of our treasures as below:

GAME 2 – Match your treasures

Steps:

1. Collect all numeral paper, shuffle them, and put them face down.
2. Draw one numeral paper at a time, put them next to the accordant treasures you collected.
3. In the end, count each one to make sure the numerals and treasures match.

PS: A sibling or a Parent playing with our children by taking turns would be more fun.

GAME 3 – Bring your treasures

Materials needed:

1. An empty bucket or tray – for carrying treasures

Preparation:

1. Ready to have more fun

Steps:

1. Collect all numeral paper (leave the treasures), carry them and the empty bucket to another room and stay there with your children.
2. You can draw a numeral paper, check the number, leave the paper in the room, carry the empty bucket back to the treasures to collect them, and bring them to the numeral paper to check.
3. Now it is our children’s turn.
4. Repeat the steps till you bring all the treasures to the numeral papers.
5. Can repeat the game.

GAME 4 – Keep your treasures safe

Steps:

1. Collect all numeral paper, shuffle them, and put them face down.
2. You draw a numeral paper, check the numeral, and bring the accordant treasure back to where you got them.
3. Now it’s our children’s turn.
4. Keep going till you put all the treasures back to where they were stored.

Have fun and keep us informed on how you go with them!

Montessori Program at Hoppers Crossing

Maria Montessori said that every human being is born with a ‘Mathematical Mind’. We all have the ability to calculate, measure and estimate.

Generally we often think maths is hard and its because it is often introduced in a very abstract way and we start remembering it rather than having clear concept in mind. Finding patterns makes life easy.

At Hoppers Crossing Montessori Centre mathematical exercises are presented in a logical sequence and systematic progress is made from the concrete to the abstract and from simple to complex.

To know more about our program, schedule your centre tour today, or give us a call at (03) 8742 2349. We look forward to meeting you!

We are located at 483 Sayers Road, Hoppers Crossing 3029.

• treasure hunting