School-Agers are already receiving math instruction during their school hours.  They don’t necessarily need additional direct instruction while they are in their before/afterschool program.  However, you can incorporate mathematical thinking into fun activities that engage children’s creativity and personal interests.  Take a look at the K-12 learning standards in your state to remind yourself of the math skills children are expected to know at different grade levels, and then try to find fun ways to incorporate some of those skills into your routine.

• Estimation/prediction stations – each week, set up a station where children can estimate or make predictions. 
  • Number of items in a jar
  • Time it will take for snow to melt
  • How tall the sunflowers will grow
• Conduct a variety of science experiments.  Ask children to make predictions, observations, and collect their data.  Then help them create visual representations of their data.
• There are so many opportunities to use math in cooking with children.  Be sure to include cooking in your program. You could also incorporate other activities such as sewing, knitting, or crocheting.
• Create weekly survey questions that children can ask other students in the program, teachers, or their family members.  Again, help children determine the best way to gather the data and represent in a visual way.
• Encourage children to create their own board games. They can create the materials for the game and teach their peers how to play.
• Plan a fund-raiser.  Include the children in planning from start to finish, including budgeting, purchasing and making materials, promoting the fundraiser, etc.

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For the main article Promoting Mathematical Thinking, CLICK HERE

For the article Infants & Toddlers, CLICK HERE

For the article Prechoolers, CLICK HERE

For the article Families, CLICK HERE