Can You Teach A Baby Math? The Answer Might Surprise You…
If you're the kind of person who identifies with the statement 'Oh, I was always terrible at math... I don't even know what 7 x 6 is!' then perhaps you'll assume that your baby will tread the same path. After all, what could you possibly have to teach them about algebra or equations? Yet studies show that being good at math is not genetic - it is an essential life skill that can be learned and improved with practice and so there's no reason why your baby can't learn it, argues author (and math whizz) Emma L Smith.
Surrey-based Emma, who is a chartered accountant by trade, has written the book ‘100 Ways in 100 Days to Teach Your Baby Maths’ to help parents introduce numerical concepts to their children from birth in a natural way and ultimately avoid falling into the fixed-mindset trap of thinking they're 'no good at math'. Kidadlers can get 30% off the book at Troubador using the code kidadl30, or on Kindle via Amazon for 99p.
As a writer, mum of two, double academic prize winner and Fellow of The Institute of Actuaries, Emma’s expert perspective is the perfect foundation for this topic. But is it actually possible to teach math to your baby? It sounds like a tall order - after all, at 100 days, your child will only be just over three months old and not even sitting up, let alone able to study numerical concepts. But Emma's book demonstrates clear and easy ways of incorporating math into everyday interactions with your baby from birth and beyond, to help foster positive associations and instil a sense of confidence in your child from an early age.