Daily Routines ⋆ DREME Family Math

Out and About

Find the Math:

When walking, driving, or on public transportation, notice shapes and numbers in the world around you.

Talk About the Math:

What shapes do you see in the signs we're passing? How do you know that is a triangle? What number is on that license plate?

Around the House

Find the Math:

While getting dressed, talk about sizes, shapes, and patterns on clothing.

Talk About the Math:

“Look at the pattern on your shirt! it goes: narrow blue stripe then wide green stripe. Now, you show me what comes next. What other patterns do you see?”

Playtime

Find the Math:

When your child is drawing, notice and compare different sizes.

Talk About the Math:

What is the biggest thing in your picture? What is the smallest? That horse looks so tall next to the short dog!

Meal Prep

Find the Math:

When setting the table, count to see how many items are needed and describe where they go.

Talk About the Math:

How many plates do we need for everyone who is eating? Can you put a fork on one side of the plate and a spoon on the other? Can you put a napkin under the fork?

Storytime

Find the Math:

When reading books, notice and talk about examples of different sizes in the illustrations.

Talk About the Math:

Which one is taller, shorter, thinner, etc.? How do you know? Can you think of something even taller, shorter, thinner, etc. than this?

Out and About

Find the Math:

Add or compare prices at the store.

Talk About the Math:

If one carton of eggs costs $1, how much do two cartons of eggs cost? This cereal costs about $3 and this one costs $4. Which one costs more?

Around the House

Find the Math:

When putting away laundry, notice and talk about things that can be counted.

Talk About the Math:

How many socks are in the laundry basket altogether? If we find two socks that go together and make a pair, how many pairs of socks do we have?

Playtime

Find the Math:

When you’re at the park, find things that can be counted and compare amounts.

Talk About the Math:

How many benches are there? How many trees are there? Are there more trees or more benches?

Meal Prep

Find the Math:

When following a recipe, count out how many ingredients you need.

Talk About the Math:

We need three eggs. Can you get three eggs for me? We need a cupcake for everyone in the family. How many cupcakes do we need?

Storytime

Find the Math:

When reading books, notice and talk about examples of shapes in the pictures.

Talk About the Math:

What shape is this? How do you know? How many sides does it have? How is that different from or similar to this other shape?

Out and About

Find the Math:

Count how many of an item you need at the store.

Talk About the Math:

We need four apples. Can you count four apples for me? How many boxes of cereal did I put in the cart?

Around the House

Find the Math:

When washing dishes, sort objects by similarities and differences.

Talk About the Math:

Can you make a group of all the clean spoons and all the clean forks? Which of these clean dishes needs to be put away in the cabinet?

Playtime

Find the Math:

When doing puzzles, describe the shape of the puzzle pieces to help figure out how to make them fit.

Talk About the Math:

See this flat side? That means this goes on the edge of the puzzle. How can you make the flat side of this piece match the flat side of that piece?

Meal Prep

Find the Math:

When setting the table, gather information and make decisions.

Talk About the Math:

Can you find out what everyone wants to drink? Let’s count how many people want milk and how many people want water.

Storytime

Find the Math:

When reading books, count how many objects are in the pictures.

Talk About the Math:

How many flowers do you see? How many are there altogether? Can you find that number written on the page?

Out and About

Find the Math:

When getting in line at the store to check out, count how many people to see which line is shortest.

Talk About the Math:

Which line is shorter? Which line has more people? How do you know? Can you count the people in each?

Around the House

Find the Math:

Use words such as into, under, around, above, and between to describe what you're doing in the kitchen.

Talk About the Math:

Can you put the ketchup behind the mustard?

Playtime

Find the Math:

Talk about sizes and numbers of animals at the zoo or in pictures and books.

Talk About the Math:

Which is bigger, the mama cheetah or the baby? How many baby cheetahs do you see?

Meal Prep

Find the Math:

When serving food, think about how to make sure everyone gets a fair share.

Talk About the Math:

We have nine empanadas and three people. How many does each person get so it’s fair?

Around the House

Find the Math:

When putting away groceries, think about where items fit in the cabinet or refrigerator.

Talk About the Math:

Can you put the milk behind the eggs? Will this box of rice fit in this cabinet or is it too tall? Should it go in front of, behind, or on top of something else?

Playtime

Find the Math:

Play a shape guessing game by describing a shape without using its name.

Talk About the Math:

Describe a shape without using its name. "I’m thinking of a shape that has three sides. What shape am I thinking of?"

Meal Prep

Find the Math:

When cooking, use measurement tools to prepare a meal.

Talk About the Math:

I need two cups of shredded cheese. Can you help me put the cheese in the measuring cup? I need two teaspoons of vanilla extract. Count how many times I fill up the teaspoon.

Playtime

Find the Math:

When playing pretend, notice and talk about examples of numbers.

Talk About the Math:

How many people are at our tea party in all? If we’re serving each person two cookies, how many cookies will we need in all?

Around the House

Find the Math:

When putting away groceries, sort objects by similarities and differences.

Talk About the Math:

Can you find all the things that need to go in the refrigerator? Can you find all the cans?

Playtime

Find the Math:

When you’re at the playground, find and talk about things that can be counted.

Talk About the Math:

How many steps would it take you to cross the bridge? Are there more monkey bars or more swings? How do you know?

Around the House

Find the Math:

Use vocabulary for what happens first, second, and third to show that things happen in order.

Talk About the Math:

First, change into your pajamas. Second, brush your teeth. Then third, we get to read a story together!

Playtime

Find the Math:

When you’re at the playground, use words like curvy, under, and between to talk about what you see.

Talk About the Math:

Is the slide a curvy slide or a straight slide? Do you think you can fit under the bridge?

Around the House

Find the Math:

When doing laundry, sort objects by similarities and differences.

Talk About the Math:

Can you help me sort the clothes into whites, darks, and colors before we wash them?

Playtime

Find the Math:

When you’re at the park, use words like up, under, and between to talk about what you see.

Talk About the Math:

What animal do you see under the bench? Are there animals up in the tree? Are there any benches between the trees?

Around the House

Find the Math:

When putting away books and toys, use words about where things are in size, shape, and place.

Talk About the Math:

Should we put this book on the top shelf or the bottom shelf? Will the rectangular book fit in the circular bin?

Playtime

Find the Math:

Look around your home for examples of different shapes.

Talk About the Math:

What shape is this pasta? What shape is this book? Can you find something else that's the same shape as the book?

Around the House

Find the Math:

When matching containers to their lids, think about shape and size.

Talk About the Math:

Can you find me a lid that matches this container? Remember to look for the same shape and size!

Playtime

Find the Math:

When you’re at the playground, find and talk about shapes.

Talk About the Math:

What shape is the opening to the slide? Can you find other circles? Can you find a shape with four sides?

Playtime

Find the Math:

When looking out your window, talk about the sizes and locations of things you can see.

Talk About the Math:

What's the tallest building you see? Which window is the biggest? What is shorter than that lamppost?

Playtime

Find the Math:

When building with toys or blocks, look for ways to compare sizes.

Talk About the Math:

Which tower is the tallest? Can you make two towers of the same height? Which blocks will help make your tower taller?

Playtime

Find the Math:

Use size, amount, and number words to talk about things around your home, for example, biggest, most, some, tall, short.

Talk About the Math:

Which stuffed animals is biggest? Is your cup full or empty? Do you have more toy bears or toy cows?

Activities

Daily Routines

Math Snacks