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How To Teach Your Baby Math

Young children have an innate ability to parse the language of numbers. Teaching the formal rules of mathematics should not be the painful, stressful process that many of us remember from school—it should simply mean tapping into our natural instinct to learn. Programs from The Institutes are built to do just that.

Can Babies Really Learn Math?

We think of mathematics as a school subject, a body of facts that we must learn. But, mathematics is a language, an orderly, predictable and beautiful language. Babies love the language of mathematics and master the idea of quantity with ease.

Why Teach Your Baby Math?

It’s Easy

The younger your child is, the easier it is to learn. Parents are the best teachers for their children. It only takes a few minutes a day to change a child’s life.

It’s Fun

Children love to play with their mother and father. Learning is the highest form of play to a child. Parents love to see what their children really enjoy and to help them pursue it.

It Enriches Understanding

Babies can understand a great deal long before they can speak and demonstrate that understanding. The language of mathematics is natural for the baby; it enriches the baby’s strong powers of observation.

It Grows the Brain

The brain is growing fastest in the first few years of life. The brain grows by use. Mathematics is an excellent way to grow the auditory and visual pathways of the brain.

It Makes a Child “School-Proof”

When a child goes to school already loving mathematics, good teachers are delighted. When the child encounters a poor teacher, having strong math concepts will help the child navigate independently.

It’s Important

Mathematics is fundamental. Children who love and understand mathematics have many options in life that do not exist without a confident grasp of mathematics. It enriches their life. They learn better, faster, and with more enthusiasm.

How Do I Teach My Baby Math?

Our mathematics program is not a first-grade curriculum imposed upon a 6-month-old. Instead, it is a carefully designed program with the frequency, intensity, and duration that is appropriate for the brain growth and development of the baby.

  • This is a relaxed, joyous process where parents learn to be sensitive to how the baby learns and how to feed that happy hunger.
  • Mother learns what her child enjoys and creates a unique math pathway just for her child. This brings mother and child closer together.
  • Teaching a baby begins with understanding why babies and young children learn the way they do.
  • When parents understand the philosophy, the techniques are simply common sense.
  • Parents who skip the “why” often do not succeed.

Start Young

Starting young is important. Our early math program is designed for babies – from birth to 12 months is best. Young babies have great attention, interest and focus on quantity. This is where we begin.

Focus on Timing

Timing is everything for the baby. Very young babies sleep a lot. Luckily the early math program takes only a minute or less each session but mother must choose that minute carefully. The baby and mother must be happy, well fed and alert.

Create an Environment

A quiet environment without distractions and noise are essential. The baby has superb attention for everything in the environment – so everything is competing for that attention.

Avoid Devices

Yes, there are many apps or tablets with symbols, but we are teaching real quantity, not symbols or counting. Many apps designed for babies are repetitive actions to trap the baby’s attention. They are a terrible waste of a baby’s precious time.

Start Young

Starting young is important. Our early math program is designed for babies – from birth to 12 months is best. Young babies have great attention, interest and focus on quantity. This is where we begin.

Focus on Timing

Timing is everything for the baby. Very young babies sleep a lot. Luckily the early math program takes only a minute or less each session but mother must choose that minute carefully. The baby and mother must be happy, well fed and alert.

Create an Environment

A quiet environment without distractions and noise are essential. The baby has superb attention for everything in the environment – so everything is competing for that attention.

Avoid Devices

Yes, there are many apps or tablets with symbols, but we are teaching real quantity, not symbols or counting. Many apps designed for babies are repetitive actions to trap the baby’s attention. They are a terrible waste of a baby’s precious time.

Try an Experiment

For this experiment, you only need a black pen, 10 pieces of white poster board cut into 11” by 11” squares, and a box of 1” red dot labels.

Now make the first 10 quantity cards your baby will see. Card 1 has only 1 red dot, card 2 has 2 red dots, etc. The last card in the set, of course, has 10 dots. Make sure the dots are arranged randomly on the card, in no patten whatsoever. Label the back of each card with the appropriate numeral.

Choose the perfect moment and show the baby the 1 card, the 2 card, and the 3 card, simply saying “1,” “2,” “3.” Come back a little later and show the cards again, but change the order. Show them later a third time in a different order. Repeat this tomorrow and the next day.

Then, put them away and start cards 4, 5, 6 (3 times a day for 3 days). In this way work your way up to 10. Your baby has begun to learn the language of mathematics and the perception of quantity.

Myths and Facts About Mathematics

Myths

Myths About Mathematics
  • Mathematics is a school subject.
  • Mathematics should begin at age six.
  • Young children are not “ready” to learn mathematics.

Facts

Our View on Mathematics
  • Mathematics is a language, not a finite subject.
  • The language of mathematics is the baby’s birthright.
  • Babies are ready at birth because math is natural and fun.

What Parents Say About Us

Baby Loves It
“My baby loves the mathematics program. It is amazing to see him do instant math faster than my husband! “
Mother, Argentina
Mind-Bending
“I have seen the results with my 11-year-old who grew up on this math program. This is without a doubt the most comprehensive mathematics program in existence. The program extends into high school and college level mathematics. To see elementary school students working on algebra and geometry typically taught to high school students is mind-bending.”
Father, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Inspiring
“Can I go back to middle school and learn what these kids are learning?”
Father, Neurosurgeon, New York, NY, USA
A Strong Foundation
“K-8 students achieve incredible results when given a strong foundation in mathematics. Elementary students easily learn advanced algebra, trigonometry, and geometry typically taught in high school. What is most important to me is that my children won’t be afraid of math like I was; in fact, they love it!”
Mother and Writer, Washington, DC, USA
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What Tools Can I Use to Teach My Baby?

Featured Book

How To Teach Your Baby Mathematics

More than four decades ago we discovered that babies could easily differentiate quantity without using numeric symbols. This led to our math program and eventually to the book How To Teach Your Baby Math.

This book provides parents with a simple and clear daily program for teaching babies and very young children mathematics while simultaneously enriching their mutual love and respect.

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Featured Program

The Deluxe Program

The Deluxe Program contains what you need to get started with a simple and clear daily program for teaching your baby or small children mathematics.

Even in homes where neither mother nor father have any particular fondness or skill in mathematics, babies can learn and enjoy math through this program if it is presented logically and in a joyous and happy way.

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