ANN ARBOR— Long before 1+1=2 becomes a concrete concept, children are learning mathematical principles from play and everyday events, and expensive toys are not necessary to help children develop these skills, according to Su-Fen Lin, director of Children’s Services in the Housing Division at the University of Michigan.

Matching, pairing, grouping and ordering are all related to math, she notes, and parents can help develop pre-math skills in young children at home through a variety of simple activities. She suggests:

• Sorting and classifying buttons.

• Encouraging children to look for certain shapes in the home or outside.

• Imaginary play at buying and selling.

• Combining household chores and math. Children enjoy setting the table; have them help by counting out the numbers of needed items.

• ” Cooking” to experience measuring, dividing portions, and feeling different sizes and weights.

• Making a growth chart.

• Measuring how far a child can jump.

• Using a calendar to talk about special events like birthdays or holidays.

Activities such as these, says Lin, relate to real-life skills. They not only make learning pleasurable, they provide a good pre-math foundation.