Learning Math from a Young Age and Applying Them in Daily Life

 

Have you noticed that we are all surrounded by numbers? Not only that, but our daily lives will cease to make sense, and we will cease to be a functional world. Yes! Numbers and math are the basic foundation of not just our lives on earth but also the universe and its functioning.

Math is omnipresent in all aspects of life, from the clocks keeping time to the house numbers, keeping track of our age, things, expenditure, and so much more. Children need to be introduced to the importance of math and numbers to help them understand and navigate life, without confusion and with ease. As a result, the best school in Ahmedabad and around the world have curriculums designed with math at the centre.

Young minds are pliable and eager to learn, and a subject as important as math needs to be introduced from an early age for the children to develop familiarity and affinity with the subject. The early start also helps them find parallels in everyday life, which makes the learning fun, practical, and relatable.

Math in daily life

1. Play time: Teaching math through playful activities that children take part in, like a game of hide and seek where they need to count before going looking for their friends or playing hopscotch in the school yard, and while handing out or sharing candies, will not only help them memorise faster but also teach them how to time themselves and to share equally amongst their friends.
2. Timing the way back home: Teaching them to count while walking back home from the primary school in Ahmedabad or the bus stop will give them a sense of time. The counted steps to home will also aid in the development of confidence and a sense of security. Just as memorising the phone numbers of one's parents and one’s address is important, so is becoming familiar with the surroundings and the way to their home.
3. Counting money: Take your child when you go shopping, especially grocery and produce shopping. Ask them to observe when you count the number of consumables and take their help in counting them and the money at the time of payment. Teaching them addition and subtraction at the time of payment will instill in them the value of money and how to keep track of the money when making a purchase. Next time, when you take them to eat ice cream or buy chocolates, hand over the money to them and help them do the math. Looking for the best-priced product will show them how to discern the difference between high and low. Simple questions like "What comes next?" or "What is the double of this?" will also help them learn mental math and strengthen their grip on numbers. This exercise, when repeated in the best nursery schools in Ahmedabad, will cement their grasp on the subject and its applicability.
4. Cooking: The kitchen is an important area for the application of math, just as the grocery store is. As small kids usually follow their parents around, their presence in the kitchen while you cook will show them the importance and application of math in the kitchen. Measuring the ingredients, weighing them, putting a timer on the oven, or simply keeping track by counting the whistles of the cooker are all ways the children will understand the applicability of math. You can ask them to fetch x number of potatoes or eggs, which will show them the quantity required for the number of people in the family.
5. Measurements: Shopping for clothes or shoes and visits to the doctor all involve taking and knowing one’s measurements. When the doctors measure their height and weight at their regular check-ups, they will note the difference in the numbers since the last time and teach them how to track their growth. Similarly, when shopping for their clothes, using a measuring tape to ascertain their size will teach them the applicability and relation between numbers and sizes. This understanding can be further extended by applying it to measuring a table or their things, giving them a sense of area and space.

Becoming familiar with math and its applications in life will not only help the children develop an affinity with the subject, thus making studying the subject fun and helping them score well in the best school in Ahmedabad, but it will also help build a sound foundation, which, if cultivated well, will help them immensely as they grow up and begin charting and navigating life on their own.