Math Talk: 8 Ways to Do It On the Go

On our drive to school one morning, my daughters started screaming at each other. To shift their attention, I used math talk. “How many blue cars do you think we’ll see on the way to school?” I asked. “I say 10,” my preschooler announced. “Maybe 7, that’s my guess,” said her slightly older sister. As we continued on the road to their school, they peered out the window, counting loudly each time a blue vehicle crossed our path. We noticed where the car was in relation to our car, “look, a blue car on the left.” The hectic morning suddenly softened into a fun game by adding a little math talk.

Math talk is the words you use to point out early math concepts in your everyday life with kids. And thankfully, math talk can happen anytime — even on the go! Whether traveling to school, the grocery store, or to visit relatives by car, bus, or walking, there are easy ways to use math talk while on the go and on the road.

 Here are eight ideas to incorporate math talk into your travels.

1. Count cars. Have a fun family challenge by seeing how many of a certain type of automobile you can spot along the way. Choose a characteristic together, such as red cars or all trucks. Explain how you can add one more car to your total number. Or, see if you spot 10 before you reach your destination. Count down out loud by subtracting the number from the total. 
2. Talk out loud as you change directions. Point out the left and right turns using spatial phrases such as, “Here we go, we are turning right.” For slightly older children, ask them the direction of the turn and celebrate when they master the left and right.
3. Notice stop lights. Which color is on top, the middle, and the bottom? Use these spatial sense terms to describe the order of the colors.
4. Make a map. Bring a piece of paper and a writing tool to create a map as you go. Write the word “Start” and have your little one draw lines as you go straight, making left and right turns. Add circles when you hit a stop light. Add rectangles to represent buildings. When you arrive, add the word “End.” While it might not be a functional map, it will help your child visualize directional words and angles.
5. Notice the numbers on license plates. Task your child with finding license plates with their age digit. For example, if your child is 4 years old, see if they can spot that number as vehicles pass.
6. Find sets and describe attributes of buildings. Are there patterns, similarities, and differences in the structures you see on your way? How could you group the buildings by materials, shapes, and purpose? Ask your child to order buildings by height.
7. Are we there yet? Point out the time you start the ride and the time you arrive at your destination. You might use kid-friendly terms to describe the amount of time. For example, “We have been on this ride for 5 minutes, about as much time as it takes for us to walk to the mailbox and back.” Or, "Let’s watch the clock as the minutes pass to see if 5 minutes pass by.”
8. Play bingo. Going on a long journey? Play shape bingo along the way! Build a grid, color the boxes, and find the shapes on the go! Find full instructions below.

On The Go Shape Bingo!

Learning Goals

• Integrate math concepts into everyday experiences 
• Practice shape recognition 

Materials

• Paper
• Coloring tools 

Step-by-Step Instructions 
1. Draw a grid on a piece of paper. Help your child draw vertical and horizontal lines independently or with a little help. 
2. Inside each box, draw a shape. You might help spell the word underneath.

3. As you travel on the road, have your child spot the shapes in the buildings, street signs, cars, and other objects.
4. Once your child gets a row complete, shout, “Bingo!”