In my last post, I discussed the importance of number sense, which is the ability to use and understand the meaning of numbers. In this post, I will talk about a fun activity that your child will enjoy as they learn the properties of numbers.
The manipulative that we will use is any small bag of colored candies that you can pick up at the checkout counter, such as M & M’s™, Skittles™, jelly beans, etc. If you buy more than 2 ounces, split the candy into a sandwich bag with about 50.
Comparing
Have your child separate the candies by color. Have them write the total number of each color on a piece of paper. Then you can ask questions comparing the colors, such as:
- Which color has the most?
- Which color has the least?
- How many red candies do you have?
You can then ask greater than, less than, or equal to questions such as:
- Are there more than, less than, or the same number of blue and green candies?
Change up this question to compare the different colors.
Whole/Part
Using colored candies is also a great way to learn about fractions. Have your child count the total number of candies and explain that this is the whole or total number of candies. You can also introduce the mathematical term of denominator, depending on the age. Then have your child separate the candies by color. Just as before, you ask how many reds there are. This time, though, explain that this is a part of the whole. Again, you can give the mathematical name of the numerator if it is age appropriate.
Example:
How many total candies do you have?
I have 50 candies.
How many candies are red?
14 candies.
So 14 of the 50 candies are red. I could write it 14/50. This tells me that of the total number of candies, 14 are red. Let’s do this with the rest of the candies.
After all the candies have been divided into fractional groups, you can make comparisons as described in the first part.
Have fun!