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The Science of Math: How Children Actually Learn It

Math is often seen as a subject of right and wrong answers, memorized facts, and timed tests. But beneath the worksheets and flashcards lies something much deeper: a fascinating blend of brain development, psychology, and real-world discovery. Understanding the science behind how children learn math can completely change how we teach it and how kids experience it. Math Is More Than Numbers At its core, math is about recognizing patterns, relationships, and structures. It connects to fields like Cognitive Science and Neuroscience, which show that learning math is not just about memorizing but also about building mental frameworks. Children aren’t born knowing math facts, but they are born with a sense of quantity. Even babies can tell the difference between “more” and “less.” This early ability is known as Number Sense. That’s the foundation everything else builds on. The Brain on Math When children engage in math, multiple parts of the brain light up, especially areas responsible for r...
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How to make a Quick Simple Butterfly

As I mentioned in a previous post, I really like the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, so much so that I’ve read it to my kids quite a few times. They’ve also read the Moonlite edition, played The Very Hungry Caterpillar game, watched the video short on YouTube and listened to Michelle Obama read the story. 

Needless to say it is a favorite and they can easily spot and identify a caterpillar and butterfly. It was no surprise then, when one morning when I was showering, I heard my 3 year old screaming with delight ‘Mommy, Mommy butterfly!’ 

Hungry Caterpillar game
The surprise was that the screaming and excitement lasted a full 10 - 15 minutes. This made me think a neighbor had just gifted them a new butterfly toy.


When I finally got dressed I heard the full cause for excitement. An orange butterfly got trapped in our screen door and was fluttering around for their little viewing pleasure, until their Dad freed it. 

Their excitement was so palpable that I had to build on the moment and create some simple one dimensional butterflies to add to their learning fun. 

My 3 year old's butterfly art and craft
My 3 yr old's butterfly art work

Here’s what we used to make our very own butterflies:

Materials 

  • Coloured Card stock paper 
  • Coloured popsicle sticks
  • Crayons
  • Coloured wool
  • Scissors
  • Glue 
  • Googley eyes
  • Your Imagination!

Steps

1. Paste the popsicle stick on the card stock paper

2. Draw a big number 3 on both sides of the stick.

3. Draw two antennas at the top of the stick and paste two googly eyes or dried peas. 

4. Colour and decorate with crayons, glitter and wool!

My 2 yr old's butterfly artwork



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