What’s Your Order? Practice Math While Playing Restaurant With Your Preschooler

"What would you like to order?" my preschooler asked as we played pretend restaurant. Looking over the scrap-paper menu, she encouraged me to select her signature dish — a triple-stacked jelly and rice sandwich, reasonably priced at $1. I nibbled on crackers next to a bear and Cookie Monster while my daughter reveled in playing the server and chef of her very own diner. This simple afternoon of make-believe helped her build fundamental early learning social and math skills.

What is Dramatic Play?

Imaginative play, also known as pretend, make-believe, or dramatic play, is a meaningful way for children to learn, express themselves, make choices and practice cooperation. During these open-ended experiences, children adopt characters or roles, use props and create scenarios using their imagination. The California Preschool Curriculum Framework tells us that during dramatic play, "children make their own choices, engage other children in interaction and spend time amusing themselves on their own, as they learn much about themselves, their own capabilities and the world around them."

We can use these opportunities to build early math skills. We support math vocabulary and number sense as we speak out loud during dramatic play about math concepts like counting, sorting and grouping.

Here are simple examples of how you can elevate the learning experience when playing make-believe restaurant:

Number the menu. Encourage your child to number the items on the menu for easy ordering. "I'll take the number 1 with fries, please." Allow your child to practice numbering the items independently or have them trace the numbers you write.

Incorporate sequence in your order. Using sequencing phrases aloud as you order helps provide a real-world example of these terms for children. Start with an appetizer, order an entree next and lastly, finish with dessert.

Create a daily special. Find ways for your child to sort foods into different groups based on patterns or attributes. Perhaps the "Tuesday Triangle Special" is tea sandwiches, triangle cheese slices and pita chips.

Sequence the food prep. Ask your child to talk out loud about the recipe directions sequence. Use the phrases "first," "next" and "last" when making the pretend food.

Pay the bill. While your preschooler might not have a grasp on coin and paper currency just yet, they might be able to understand the concept of paying. Help your child set a price for each menu item to encourage number sense. Keep the cost simple, rounded to the nearest dollar. Then, add or subtract to get change back.

More Imaginative Pretend-Play Ideas

Practice number sense, sequencing and sorting during other playful learning family favorites.

• Set up an at-home zoo. Bring out the stuffed animals and set up habitats around the house. Sort the animals into sets finding patterns in the creatures' colors, sizes and shapes. You can also try going on an at-home safari by setting up stuffed animals in unexpected places.
• Become the pilot of a pretend airplane. Assemble household chairs into pairs to form the rows of passenger seats. Count by twos! Take turns as captain, flight attendant and passenger. Use a countdown to arrive at your destination. 
• Get styling at the barber. Set up and number a menu of hairstyles. Take turns being the hairstylist and client. Talk about the sequence of the pampering, "First, we wash the hair; second, we comb; third, we cut." As a tip, set clear expectations and discuss the importance of not actually cutting hair.      
• Check out books at the home library. Arrange your favorite storytime books into a display and play the role of librarian and visitors. Point out and compare the size of the books and consider arranging them from largest to smallest. Count the number of books out loud while pretending to check them out. Look at a calendar to determine when the books are due back to the pretend library. Need an at-home library? It's easy to start one.

Here are other things to consider while supporting your kid during pretend play.

Invite friends to play. The California Preschool Curriculum Framework reminds us that "preschoolers enjoy interacting with other children and are rapidly developing the skills to socialize cooperatively, negotiate conflict and respect the feelings of other children…especially in pretend play." Help guide the process by finding ways to build new friendships.

Model effective and respectful interaction. Join in the fun and demonstrate positive behaviors when interacting. Modeling appropriate social responses, questions and conversations provides an example children can use in real-world exchanges with peers.

Consider unique perspectives. As children take on different roles during dramatic play, ask them to consider what other characters in the role-playing might be thinking, feeling or wondering.

From chef to pilot, children's imaginations allow them to wear many hats. When we add math to pretend experiences, we set the stage for lifelong learning — and that is for real.