Fostering Preschoolers' Mathematical Knowledge Through Cooking Activities

• In Event: 47.095 - MTCC Roundtable Session 19
  In Roundtable Session: 47.095-11 - Early Mathematics Teaching and Learning

Abstract

This study examines whether cooking activities affect children’s fundamental mathematical knowledge. Each cooking lesson was implemented to pre-kindergartners (N = 10; age range 4 - 5 years) during snack time once a week for 6 weeks. To evaluate the intervention, pre- and post-assessment were administered. Findings indicate that the cooking intervention showed a difference in the participants’ knowledge in all of the following domains: 1) number and operation, 2) comparing, patterning, fractions, sorting, and measurement, 3) shape, and 4) time. Among all the domains, the participants’ scores in the domain of number and operation significantly improved. These findings may suggest cooking activities as a way to develop children’s foundational mathematical concepts through meaningful and real-life experiences.

Authors

• SeungJung Jo, University at Buffalo - SUNY

• Ji-Won Son, University at Buffalo - SUNY