"Having strong spatial skills — the ability to understand and mentally manipulate shapes and figures — has been identified by researchers as characteristic of those who find success in STEM fields and creative pursuits. Developing those skills can start early through activities and the language that caregivers use with children."
This link jumps into books that give children a chance to explore spatial reasoning. Over and under, going that direction or going the other direction, mapping, perspective. There are plenty of ways to get young children to think dynamically about the mathematical world around them. And when using picture books to support math and spatial thinking, teachers and parents can entice children with creative storytelling.
The Early Math Collaborative works to improve math instruction for young children in three ways:
