Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Pre-school Basic Math for a 2 y.o.?

How about buying him his own calculator? We gave our ds (now 4.5) one when he was younger and taught him how to key in problems like

1 + 1 = = = = = (keep pressing "=" until your thumb falls off)

to count by ones. It became his favorite car toy (still is) and he's figured out things like skip counting and exponents on his own with it.

I don't know that a calculator really teaches the concept of why 1 + 1 = 2, but it's taught ds to recognize patterns in numbers. Plus, it keeps him occupied on long car rides.

Oh yes, a calculator is a fantastic idea - we bought one for DS when he was 2 and we were delayed in an airport so wanted a novel toy. Really good choice! Ours was not specifically a child's one, but chunky, robust and above all cheap. We've just bought him a scientific calculator (goodness they can do a lot of stuff these days!) but a first calculator should probably be really basic, I think.

Thanks Trillium and CollinsMum. Definitely going to do this with dd3. I think the calculator idea is going to go over amazingly. (Why didn't I think of it myself? Ah, well. That's why I hang out at this forum... )

I bought my son a little SL-100L folding calculator earlier today. I can't wait to give it to him. I really have picked up a lot from this website.

The Singapore Earlybird workbooks are great for mathy preschoolers, if they are the sort to enjoy workbooks.

In my opinion the most important thing you can do is have an environment and lifestyle that encourages hands on play. Activities like: heavy wood unit blocks, wood train set, duplos, bucket with water and cups, puzzles, balls, etc. These activities will help develop an internal sense of numbers and spatial concepts that will reap rewards later in mathematical thinking. Also, in the process they help develop other crucial aspects of development like sensory development and motor skills.

A lot of board games also teach math and might appeal to your young one. For just one example, my son first enjoyed playing Risk (simple modern version without playing with goals etc.-- i.e. without the new stuff) before he hit age 3. It was pretty easy for him to pick up the strategy to the point he could play capably, and concepts including number relationships, simple addition and subtraction, etc. are reinforced by playing. One out of print game my son loves that is visual-spatial without being overtly mathy, is Bandu / Bausack.

Games are great for developing basic math skills. My young children have enjoyed Battleship, Uno, Yahtzee, Sum Swamp, and Mancala, among others.