How to Teach Big and Little to Kids

The prenumber concept of big and little can be taught early by observing things in daily living that are the same, but vary in size. For example, If you have two red squares that are otherwise the same, except one is larger, help the child make the observation of "big and little."

Another idea for introducing the lesson into daily activities is to play the game "so big." It helps them understand the concept of growing bigger and compare and contrast big and little.

Materials You Will Need:

* Two boxes of the same shape and color, one should be big and one should be small. (Nesting boxes and cups are good for this. Simply choose a big and small box or cup of the same color.)
* A big book and a little book
* A big shoe and a little shoe
* A big sock and a little sock
* A big car and a little car
* A big ball and a little ball

Begin with one set of big and little objects listed above. Tell the child which one is big and which one is little. Have them repeat big and little, pointing to the object as they say it. Offer the next set of objects and ask the child to point to the big object. Then the little object. If the child does not know, simply continue to offer the correct answer until they grasp the concept. When the child can find the large and small object consistently without guidance from you, they have mastered the game.

Continue to talk to your child about big and little in daily life. If you observe something in a store that is big or little, point it out to them. Compare serving sizes of big and little at dinner time. Ask them while painting if they can make a small circle, and a large circle. Show them little people toys and ask them if they are "big or little." Help the child understand that big, little and large, small are different words with the same meaning. Interchange the words big, and large, or little and small to help the child generalize the concept to both words.