The Homeschool Preschool: How to Teach the Math Concept of Before, Between & After

Teaching mathematical concepts to the preschoolers in your homeschool is very different from teaching your older students. Helping your homeschooling preschooler to understand math concepts will require sufficient demonstration of the concept being learned. This can be accomplished in various ways. The most effective way to teach the math concepts of before, between and after to a preschooler is to provide hands-on activities for them to participate in.

Fisher-Price Little People are great for teaching before, between, and after - Many homeschooling parents of preschoolers will have some Fisher-Price Little People around the house. In order to teach your homeschooling preschooler the math concept of before, between, and after, simply line up three of the Little People, all facing in the same direction. Use one of the Little People accessories or another household item to represent the object that the Little People are lining up to. Fisher-Price Little People often come with little gates and things that are perfect for this.

Next, begin explaining to your preschooler which of the Little People is standing before the rest of the Little People in line. Then ask the child to show you which one is standing before the others.

Now, point out which of the Little People is after all the rest. Again, once you have done this, ask the child to show you which one is after.

Finally, move on to showing your homeschooling preschooler which of the Little People is between. Once more, ask the child to then show you which of the Little People is standing between the others.

If you don't have Fisher-Price Little People, try real people! - If you don't have any Fisher-Price Little People on hand in your homeschool, you can teach the same math concept just as effectively with real people. Just round up three people who are willing to participate in the activity, and proceed in the same way as described earlier for using Little People.

Reinforce the concept - To help the preschoolers in your homeschool to develop a solid understanding of the math concept before, between, and after, be sure to discuss peoples' positions in line while at the grocery store, the post office, and other public places where you find lines. If your preschooler doesn't seem to be catching on to this math concept right away, it's nothing to worry about. Some children will be ready to comprehend this math concept when they are three years old, and others may be close to five before they catch on. Be patient, try to keep the activities fun and lighthearted, and at some point your child will grasp the concept.