Educare hosts Math Carnival for children and families
June 16, 2010
Educare of Chicago children and their families enjoyed a fun and educational afternoon at the western-themed Math Carnival on June 3.
One of numerous family engagement events offered at Educare during the school year, the carnival gave babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and parents an opportunity to participate in interactive learning activities designed to reinforce valuable math skills.
At the shape-sorting game, for example, children learned to recognize rectangles and circles as they searched through a large box of objects with items like a cookie sheet and a dinner plate. Other popular attractions included a cooking and measuring station, bowling, and graphing. Families were also treated to pony rides and had the chance to practice roping a (toy) steer.
Research has shown that math skills at kindergarten entry, such as the ability to recognize numbers, problem solve, use reasoning skills, and apply knowledge, are a predictor of later academic success. This event was part of Educare's Early Math Initiative, which was designed to help parents and teachers promote math concepts in the classroom and at home.
Educare of Chicago, the Ounce of Prevention Fund's birth-to-five school on the South Side, has become a national model for narrowing the academic achievement gap for low-income children. Educare celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2010.
