Adventures with Math and the Great Pumpkin

Math shapes the world around us in so many ways! After school is a great time for students to apply math problem-solving skills, which are so important to your student’s development.

Even the youngest children can play in ways that encourage natural curiosity and build understanding of numbers and how they work. Peg + Cat follows a girl and her wacky cat sidekick as they encounter everyday challenges that require math problem-solving skills.

And don't miss the family classic holiday special "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" on CPTV and PBS KIDS 24/7 October 24, 2021.

Pic: A man and a young girl whisk a bowl of batter together. Text: Learning Snacks, Fun projects and games for after-school math learning

FOR KIDS: FUN MATH GAMES WITH PEG + CAT
Try Peg + Cat’s hands-on Giant Pizza Party Print and Play to practice counting to 10.

Peg + Cat also offers interactive online games such as: Make the Cake: Dividing a whole into fractions, making equal groups; Peg’s Pizza Place: Dividing a whole into fractions; and 3-2-1 Snack!: Counting 1-10.

Watch Peg + Cat clips and episodes here!

FOR PARENTS: MATH IN YOUR KITCHEN
Your kitchen is one of the best places to practice applied math skills with your child. Activities such as cooking, place setting, organizing, and cleaning are full of hidden math and problem-solving skills practice. We like to think of this as a win-win situation — you get some help with kitchen chores, and your child applies their math skills to a real-life experience!

Try this recipe for Peg + Cat's Honey Cake as an after-school snack, and practice measurement and counting skills as a family.

Here are some tips to include math in your child’s daily routine!

FOR EDUCATORS: AN APPETITE FOR FRACTIONS
For an appetizing Operation: Math in Action lesson, your students can practice using fractions to divide snacks such as apple slices, sandwiches, and chocolates into equal shares. Students will participate in whole-group, small-group, and individual activities revolving around cooking and sharing food. The culminating activity for this five-day unit has students create a pinecone bird feeder using their fraction knowledge. View the full lesson plan here.

Younger students can also practice using equal groups to understand fractions with this video from Peg + Cat. Students review the concepts of fair sharing, less, and more as they sing along!

Need a slightly more advanced activity? Try a fractions race with your class!

Learn more about PBS KIDS’ Afterschool Adventures here.

A FAMILY TREAT!

Tune in to CPTV or PBS KIDS 24/7 on television, Sunday, October 24, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. for the holiday classic "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" Do YOU believe in the Great Pumpkin?