5 Cozy Ways to Add Math to Kids' Bedtime Routines

It was evening, and my preschooler declared she wanted to pick out her pajamas for the night. She confidently walked to her room and returned wearing a perfectly mismatched set. While practicing emerging independence, she created a sky-high pile of clothes on her bedroom floor. We talked about sorting as we put the clothes back in the dresser drawers and got ready for bed.

With counting sheep and cows jumping over the moon, bedtime is full of math traditions and opportunities to use math talk– the practice of talking about math terms and vocabulary aloud with kids. As the National Association for the Education of Young Children reminds us, when we find everyday opportunities to use math vocabulary and practice math concepts, we set the stage for an interest in early math.

Here are five cozy ways to incorporate math into your nightly routine.

1. Practice Sequencing With a Nightly Routine

As PBS KIDS suggests, preschoolers thrive on routine. When we set predictable patterns for the day, children feel secure and empowered to follow the sequence of events. Sticking to a routine at bedtime is especially helpful when we stay up late, travel or shift our schedules. Talk aloud with your child about your nightly routine using ordinal numbers like first, second and third. For example, first, we brush our teeth; second, we read a book; third, we sing a song. Children visualize a sequence and practice making patterns when they go through routines.

To end bedtime battles, have your child help establish the nighttime routine. Allowing them to have a say in the sequence will help them feel empowered and build buy-in to the routine. Watch this bedtime clip from "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood" and ask your child to develop a routine together.

2. Practice Counting While Brushing Teeth

Getting your child to brush their teeth for two minutes might be challenging, but turning it into a game helps! You can try challenging them to brush all their teeth by the time you count to 200, both forward and backward. Or, set the time and count down together, with a mouth full of toothpaste, in the final 10 seconds.

You can also play a guessing game. Set a stopwatch on your phone or watch for two minutes. Then, have your child shout stop when they think the timer is about to go off. The sillier you can make this time with numbers, the better!

For more fun, check out the tooth brushing songs and games on the Sesame Street in Communities website.

3. Look for Shapes Around the Room

Designs on bedspreads, sheets, door frames and window shapes, and patterns in toys and shelves are all math concepts. Quietly point out the shapes and patterns around the room. Saying "good night rectangle windows" or "goodnight circle door knob" adds math to the moment.

4. Math As You Read

After picking out a few favorite bedtime stories, count the number of books and subtract. If you start with three books, ask your child how many books remain after reading one. How many books are left after you read two? Use bedtime reading to support early subtraction. Look for shapes, count people and find word patterns. For added math, you might read books that incorporate counting, shapes and numbers.

5. Say Goodnight to Stuffed Animals

Say goodnight to your favorite stuffed animals using spatial terms like "next to," "under," or "above." For example, you might say, "let's tuck ladybug baby into the shoe box on top of the bookshelf," or, "what if we have puppy sleep under the night light." These directional terms will support early math while helping your child get ready to be tucked in.

The relaxing time before bed is a quiet moment to reflect on the day while fostering early math skills. And when your child says they can't sleep, they can always count sheep!