Fruit Fractions

Turn snack time into a teachable moment!

By Carrie Biales

Introduce your preschooler to basic math concepts with this simple activity.

Geared to:

   middle 4-year-olds

Materials needed:

   - knife
   - cutting board
   - a few different types of fruit

Skills learned:

   - counting
   - number concepts
   - size and shape discrimination

What to Do:
Choose one fruit to leave whole and introduce the idea of whole. Take the next piece of fruit and cut it in half. Introduce the word "half," and show your child both halves. Let your child hold one half, then hold a whole fruit. Continue with another piece of fruit that you cut into thirds, then another that you cut into fourths. Review, then use all the pieces to enjoy a healthy snack!

Reprinted with permission, courtesy of ProductiveParenting.com
For more fun and easy (and psst! educational) activities, visit ProductiveParenting.com.