6 Benefits of Teaching your Child Early Math Skills

The early years are critical for developing math skills. Numerous studies have shown that early math skills strongly predict later academic success. Kids who have a strong foundation in early math concepts are more likely to do well in school, both academically and socially. They're also more likely to pursue careers in STEM fields.

So, why is early math so important? Math is the foundation for all other academic subjects. It helps kids develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills and enables them to understand and appreciate the world around them. Early math skills also help kids develop patience and perseverance. These are essential skills for success in school and in life.

Here are eight benefits of teaching early math skills to your child:

Early math skills predict later academic success

According to a report by a psychology squad led by Greg J. Duncan, early math skills are "one of the strongest predictors of later academic achievement." The report, which was published in the journal Developmental Psychology, looked at data from a variety of sources and found that early math skills are not only predictive of later math achievement but also of later reading achievement and overall school success.

This means that the more young kids are given opportunities to engage with early math concepts, the more likely they will do well in school overall.

Early math skills help kids develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills

Math involves a lot of problem-solving. Working on early math concepts helps children learn how to identify problems and figure out solutions. This helps them develop essential problem-solving and critical-thinking skills that they can use in other areas of their lives.

Early math skills enable kids to understand and appreciate the world around them

Math is everywhere! It's in the patterns we see in nature, how we measure time and distance, and how we organize information. If we take a close look around, we can see that math is a part of everything.

When kids develop early math skills, they learn to see the world through a mathematical lens. They start to understand and appreciate the hidden math all around them. This can spark a lifelong interest in mathematics and help them see the world in new and exciting ways. For example, even in the simple task of baking a cake, early math skills are at work. Measuring the ingredients, estimating the bake time, and doubling the recipe are examples of early math in action.

Early math skills help kids develop patience and perseverance

Patience and perseverance are essential skills for success in school and in life. And guess what? They can be learned through early math experiences.

When kids are working on early math concepts, they often have to try several different methods before they find one that works. This trial-and-error process helps them develop patience and persistence. It also helps them see that there is more than one way to solve a problem, an important lesson they can carry with them into other facets of their lives.

Early math skills help kids develop spatial reasoning skills

Spatial reasoning is the ability to visualize objects in three dimensions and understand how they fit together. It's an essential skill for success in mathematics, engineering, and other STEM fields.

Early math experiences can help kids develop spatial reasoning skills. For example, when kids work with blocks or puzzles, they learn to visualize three-dimensional objects and figure out how they fit together.

Early math skills help kids prepare for kindergarten

Getting a head start on early math concepts can help kids feel more confident and prepared when they begin kindergarten. And that's not all—a recent study found that early math skills may also lead to better behavior in the classroom. Researchers found that kids who had a strong foundation in early math were less likely to exhibit disruptive behaviors in kindergarten than those who did not.

Math doesn't simply begin and end with counting. By making it a point to strengthen your child's math skills early on, you're opening the door to a lifetime of success!

At Mrs. Myers' Learning Lab, we offer a numeracy program that focuses on mathematical concepts along with student interaction through problem-solving tasks. Students in our math program get the chance to use modern technology by writing and illustrating their own problem-solving book in our patent-pending build-a-book app which we then print out and give to our students to keep. Visit us to learn more!