Salt Lake City, Utah--(Newsfile Corp. - August 19, 2024) - Early childhood is a great time to begin intentionally learning math. Why should we teach toddlers math? Because kindergarten math entry scores predict their future success. Multiple studies show that math entry scores – the math kids know before ever starting school – are a predictor of future math and reading scores which are, in turn, a predictor of later career outcomes.

The Utah STEM Action Center created the MILO (Math Introductions and Learning Opportunities) and Friends program to give parents tools and resources to teach their preschoolers math. The program idea began when Clarence Ames, Research and Implementation Manager at the STEM Action Center, was looking at NAEP scores, which show that, in 2022, Utah students are tied for the highest eighth grade math scores of any state in the nation. While that was exciting, what that means is that 35 percent of students are reaching grade-level proficiency. This makes for a compelling reason to start using math language early and often. One great way to start talking about math with preschoolers is by playing board games.

"The Happy Bunny board game is great because it helps caregivers and early learners see what early math actually looks like, and it makes math fun for Utah families," said Clarence Ames. "Board games are an excellent way to build early math skills through play. We like to say that board games are to early math what board books are to early reading. When the kid is having fun, and they are interested, that's when they do their best learning. It doesn't have to be board games; math concepts like counting and comparing can be incorporated into anything your child is interested in."

The STEM Action Center team wants to reach as many two-to-five-year-olds in Utah as possible, and now they're excited to extend their partnership with the Utah Education Policy Center (UEPC) in the College of Education and together launch a new partnership with the University of Utah Health at the University Pediatric Clinic. This partnership is part of the U's Nurturing Numeracy Initiative to increase awareness and engagement of families. This initiative, which is also funded by the STEM AC and a University of Utah STEM Hub seed grant, will include pediatricians sharing information about learning math in early childhood and the Happy Bunny game with caregivers.

"Early math isn't about memorizing multiplication tables or flashcards. Almost every interaction during a toddler's day can involve math – whether it is matching up socks, seeing that their sibling has more peas on their plate or noticing that one pair of shoes is bigger than another. MILO and Friends helps parents learn how to talk about math with game-based play, which makes math approachable and fun for young children and adults," said Dr. Elizabeth Smith, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, at the University of Utah School of Medicine.

The UEPC will conduct research on the impact of the program, particularly how the program changes mindsets and engagement in mathematics. This research will provide evidence of practices that can be used more broadly to promote STEM interest and success. The games will be handed out starting in June at the University Pediatrics Clinic and then after the pilot, they will launch the program at the Sugar House Health Clinic and the South Main Clinic later this year.

Parents play board games and teach early math skills at STEM Action Center event at Wheeler Farm in Salt Lake County. (Photograph by Shelby Averett)

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About Utah STEM Action Center
The Utah STEM Action Center, a division within the Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement, is Utah's partner in promoting science, technology, engineering and math through best practices in education and leveraging resources across industry, education, government, and community partners to support economic prosperity. Our work seeks to inspire students and educators, provide access to STEM resources, connect our communities, and drive industry involvement in STEM initiatives. For information, visit stem.utah.gov.

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