Preschool math journals are a great way to get your little ones started with math skills and routines This post will walk you through the basics.
What is a preschool math journal?
A preschool math journal is a notebook or booklet where young children can record their mathematical thinking, problem-solving processes, and understanding of various math concepts. It often includes drawings, numbers, and simple explanations.
Why are math journals important in preschool?
Math journals encourage children to think critically about math, improve their problem-solving skills, and help them articulate their thought processes. They also provide teachers with insights into each child’s understanding and progress.
Setting Up Math Journals
There are a few different ways to put together math journals in preschool. Here are a few of the most common ways:
- Pieces of paper stapled together. Teachers often create journals like this for every month of the school year or to match themes, etc.
- Spiral Journals or composition books: This can be a great option, especially to save time, space and paper! Students can keep their place in the journal using a binder clip or even a piece of ribbon hot glued to the back cover. It’s also a great way to show student progress throughout the school year.
Math Journal Prompts for Preschool
Having ready to go math problems and prompts is really helpful for teachers. It makes lesson planning quick and saves you time. These Monthly Preschool Math Journals are a wonderful tool for teachers. This resource includes a monthly math journal for each month of the school year.
Each month has 30 pages that can be completed in any order. Students will love the fun monthly themes and activities!
You’ll love not having to think of math journal prompts for the entire school year; plus students will benefit greatly from a math journal routine.
These journal pages can be printed, cut in half, and stapled together to create math journals for each month. Alternatively, they can be glued into a composition book to create a math journal to use throughout the school year.
Prompt Examples:
Here are a few of the math journal prompts included in the resource:
- This is the number 1. Trace each number 1. Can you write the number 1?
- There are 2 yellow apples and 1 green apple. How many apples are there altogether?
- Draw 5 nuts for the squirrel to eat.
- Create your own AB pattern.
- Use shapes to draw a face on the pumpkin. What shapes did you use?
- Draw 3 apples and 3 pumpkins in the truck. How many apples and pumpkins are there altogether?
- There are 4 purple sweaters and 1 gray sweater. How many sweaters are there altogether?
- Draw 18 eggs using the ten frames.
Skills Covered
These monthly journals were created to cover the math skills preschool students need to learn such as:
- Counting
- One to One Correspondence
- Numbers
- Shapes
- Patterns
- Combining sets
- Addition
- Math Vocabulary: Smaller/Bigger, Tallest/Shortest/, Left/Right, More/Less, Before/Next
You can download a full scope and outline of the skills covered in the preview of this product on TPT.
Monthly Preschool Printable Math Journals
August and September Preschool Math Journals
October Preschool Math Journals
November Preschool Math Journals
December Preschool Math Journals
January Preschool Math Journals
February Preschool Math Journals
Tips for Getting Started
- Introduce the concept of a math journal and explain its purpose. Spend a day letting students color or decorate the cover of their new journal
- Be consistent with journaling sessions. Choose a time in your day for math journals
- Encourage conversation and discuss math problem solving together. This is a great time to model and work together!
- Keep it fun!
Using math journals in preschool helps children develop foundational math skills in an engaging and reflective way, fostering a positive attitude towards mathematics from an early age.
FAQ About Preschool Math Journals
Here are a few frequently asked questions about preschool math journals.
How often should students use their math journals?
The frequency can vary depending on the curriculum, but ideally, children should engage with their math journals several times a week if not every day.
Consistent use helps reinforce concepts and allows for regular assessment of progress. It may be helpful to choose a time each day for math journals. I like doing math journaling at the beginning of my math teaching time or in small groups.
Can parents use math journals at home?
Yes, parents can use math journals at home. This is a simple routine that can be built in to your day for homeschooling families or even during the summer months. These printable journals could also be printed and sent home to encourage learning at home.
Would these math journals work for other grade levels?
These math journals were created with preschool students in mind, but many of the skills would still apply to kindergarten students or children working on a preschool or kindergarten academic level.
Preschool math journals are a powerful educational tool that supports young children in developing essential mathematical skills. By incorporating math journals into daily routines, teachers can foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and a deeper understanding of math concepts. Give these Preschool Math Journals a try with your students this school year!