The holidays are such a lovely time of year to spend with children! However the last few weeks before the winter break can be hectic. Here are ten easy to assemble activities that can infuse playtime with math by capturing the magic of the season! Many of the seasonal loose parts included in these photos were found at the local dollar store. Enjoy! 1. Count the Presents - offer children mini presents (or other seasonal trinkets including bells or ornaments) and number cards. Encourage children to match the corresponding number of objects to the cards. Children can also place presents on a lami ..read more

“There is an unreasonable joy to be had from the observation of small birds going about their bright, oblivious business.”  Grant Hutchison   Colder weather and light snow this week have inspired new observations during outdoor play and exploration. The children have noticed birds hiding in the trees. It's been fun to watch them flit from branch to branch, observe their tracks in the snow and identify their different calls. I hoped to continue with these observations indoors. I introduced Cornell's live bird cam and invited children to spend time observing the animals that visited th ..read more

Subitizing is the ability to instantly recognize the number of objects without actually counting them.   This week we practised subitizing using a number cube and this subitizing grid. Children rolled the number cube and dabbed a corresponding square on the grid. There are so many possibilities for how else children can extend this game. It's perfect for small group math work, a math center or independent practice during whole group time. Visit the link to download a copy of the grid. Enjoy ..read more

I grabbed a coffee from a drive through this past weekend. While there I chatted with the employee working at the window. I asked him how his day was going. "It was great until about five minutes ago," he said. "I just saw my former math teacher. I haven't seen him in years. Nice guy but I dreaded his class. I just never really felt like I belonged. I hated the math. Just couldn't relate. Seeing him brought up all those old feelings for me again." As someone who loves math I was devastated to hear this story. As a kindergarten educator I try my best to cultivate a safe and supportive space wh ..read more

 "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." Albert Camus Autumn is my favourite time of year. Once we have settled into the new school year it's amazing to head outdoors and appreciate the interesting changes happening in nature. There is so much potential for math learning outside of the classroom.  To celebrate the 1500th copy of Autumn Math Walk being published here are ten free printables to use with children during outdoor math exploration. Autumn Math Walk is available through Amazon. Enjoy!  1. Hundred Chart Printable Print and laminate this page so that ch ..read more

  As we head back into the school year many educators are working thoughtfully to create environments that are rich with math possibility. In Reggio Emilia the environment exists as the 'third teacher' inspiring, supporting, and extending children's learning in rich and complex ways. I have been contacted by many educators asking for advice on how to best set up their classroom and routines in order to create as many opportunities for authentic math as possible. This has inspired today's blog post - how to cultivate a math rich learning space for children at the beginning of another scho ..read more

  For many years now I have been greatly inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education and have sought any source of information that I could get my hands on! When FDK was first introduced in Ontario I was thrilled to see that many of Reggio's beliefs were interwoven in the document and honouring children's interests through play, inquiry and documentation were highlighted. As educators who follow a standardized curriculum we have great flexibility in our interpretation and implementation of the expectations and this makes our role exciting and dynamic. I believe in ..read more

"The objects surrounding the child should look solid and attractive to him, and the house of the child should be lovely and pleasant in its particulars; for beauty in the school invites activity and work." Maria Montessori One of my favourite ways to spend a relaxing Sunday is to visit a local antique store in my town. They refresh their wares on a regular basis and it's inspiring to wander the store and see the new arrivals. I love to find unique objects and imagine how they might be used by children during free play. Sometimes objects are a vintage model of what we already have - I'd much ..read more

As an educator helping children develop a love of and appreciation for math is one of my greatest professional interests. I strive each day to engage children in authentic math learning through play and inquiry. I was super honoured and excited this past spring to welcome ETFO into our kindergarten classroom and record a number of chats regarding how children explore math in our classroom.  All videos are now available here: A Classroom that Fosters Mathematical Thinking The Beliefs that Drive Practice Moving the Learning Forward  Math is Relevant and All Around Us Understanding h ..read more

"Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein The children were gathered around a large landscaping rock, working together to arrange twigs and stones they had picked from the ground nearby.   "I think that this side should be the living room and the bedroom can be over here," Jack gestured as he spoke. "The living room will be next to the bedroom and the ladybug can crawl across by using this little bridge."   "So what are these little sticks here for?" Mary pointed to a little row of twigs placed next to each other.   "Oh, those are g ..read more