How to Teach the Before and After Prenumber Concept

Gather up some of your child's favorite toys. You will need 3. Stuffed animals, toy people, cars, or any favorite two that you can pretend wants to move, works well.

1. Line them up as if they are going somewhere. For animals set a bowl in front of the first one and tell your child they are all going to the bowl to get a drink. This helps your child understand their positional relationship, by understanding the the first one in line will come before the others to get a drink. Some other ideas for lining up the toys in this step include: Placing them in front of a gate, putting cars in front of a garage, putting people in front of a booth. Ensure your child knows they are lined up to go somewhere.

2. On index cards write the words BEFORE, BETWEEN and AFTER. Label each toy with it's position in line.

3. Tell the child the position of the toys using the words before, between and after. Talk to them about who will arrive at the bowl first, and explain that means he comes "before" the other toys. Next explain who will arrive at the bowl last and explain that this means the toy comes "after" the others. Explain to the child that the one in the middle is "in between."

4. Practice lining up the toys in different patterns, making sure that the toys take different positions in line. This way the child can see that the label "before" does not apply to a specific toy, but rather to the position in line.

5. Occasionally, ask the child what position a toy holds. If they cannot offer the correct answer, simply show them until they are able to answer independently.

Use the prenumber concept of before, between and after in daily living situations to reinforce it to your child.

1. Line up shopping items at the check out counter and ask your child which is "before, after or between."

2. Try it with people. Line up several people at the door and ask your child who comes before the others in line.

3. Practice, practice, practice. Counters, chairs, most any toy object can be used to practice. Line them up in different patterns and have your child guess at their position.

3. Print worksheets from the internet and practice before, between and after using these concepts with real numbers. Number line worksheets with missing numbers allow you to ask your child, "What missing number comes after 5?" "What missing number comes before 2?"

4. Keep practicing and don't forget to enjoy your time with the child!