{"id":79524,"date":"2021-10-28T14:32:28","date_gmt":"2021-10-28T18:32:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.carleton.ca\/?post_type=cu_story&#038;p=79524"},"modified":"2025-08-19T09:37:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T13:37:12","slug":"halloween-candy-mathematics-skills","status":"publish","type":"cu_story","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/story\/halloween-candy-mathematics-skills\/","title":{"rendered":"5 ways sorting Halloween candy can help children develop mathematics skills"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-max  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n        \n                    \n                    \n            \n    <div class=\"cu-wideimage relative flex items-center justify-center mx-auto px-8 overflow-hidden md:px-16 rounded-xl not-prose  my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 bg-opacity-50 bg-cover bg-cu-black-50 pt-24 pb-32 md:pt-28 md:pb-44 lg:pt-36 lg:pb-60 xl:pt-48 xl:pb-72\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/162\/conversation-halloween-candy-1200w-1.jpg); background-position: 50% 50%;\">\n\n                    <div class=\"absolute top-0 w-full h-screen\" style=\"background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0.600);\"><\/div>\n        \n        <div class=\"relative z-[2] max-w-4xl w-full flex flex-col items-center gap-2 cu-wideimage-image cu-zero-first-last\">\n            <header class=\"mx-auto mb-6 text-center text-white cu-pageheader cu-component-updated cu-pageheader--center md:mb-12\">\n\n                                    <h1 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold mb-2 text-3xl md:text-4xl lg:text-5xl lg:leading-[3.5rem] cu-pageheader--center text-center mx-auto after:left-px\">\n                        5 ways sorting Halloween candy can help children develop mathematics skills\n                    <\/h1>\n                \n                            <\/header>\n        <\/div>\n\n                    <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"absolute bottom-0 w-full z-[1]\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 1280 312\">\n                <path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M26.412 315.608c-.602-.268-6.655-2.412-13.524-4.769a1943.84 1943.84 0 0 1-14.682-5.144l-2.276-.858v-5.358c0-4.876.086-5.358.773-5.09 1.674.643 21.38 5.84 34.646 9.109 14.682 3.59 28.935 6.858 45.936 10.449l9.874 2.089H57.322c-16.4 0-30.31-.16-30.91-.428ZM460.019 315.233c42.974-10.074 75.602-19.88 132.443-39.867 76.16-26.791 152.063-57.709 222.385-90.663 16.7-7.823 21.336-10.074 44.262-21.273 85.004-41.688 134.719-64.193 195.291-88.413 66.55-26.577 145.2-53.584 194.27-66.765C1258.5 5.626 1281.34 0 1282.24 0c.17 0 .34 27.596.34 61.3v61.299l-2.23.375c-84.7 13.718-165.93 35.955-310.736 84.931-46.494 15.753-65.427 22.076-96.166 32.15-9.102 3-24.814 8.198-34.989 11.574-107.543 35.954-153.008 50.422-196.626 62.639l-6.74 1.876-89.126-.054c-78.135-.054-88.782-.161-85.948-.857ZM729.628 312.875c33.229-10.985 69.248-23.523 127.506-44.207 118.705-42.223 164.596-57.709 217.446-73.302 2.62-.75 8.29-2.465 12.67-3.751 56.19-16.772 126.94-33.597 184.17-43.671 5.07-.91 9.66-1.768 10.22-1.875l.94-.161v170.236l-281.28-.054H719.968l9.66-3.215ZM246.864 313.411c-65.041-2.251-143.047-12.11-208.432-26.256-18.375-3.965-41.73-9.538-42.202-10.074-.171-.214-.257-21.38-.214-47.046l.129-46.618 6.654 3.697c57.313 32.043 118.491 56.531 197.699 79.143 40.313 11.521 83.459 18.058 138.669 21.059 15.584.857 65.685.857 81.14 0 33.744-1.876 61.306-4.93 88.396-9.806 6.396-1.126 11.634-1.983 11.722-1.929.255.375-20.48 7.769-30.999 11.038-28.592 8.948-59.288 15.646-91.873 20.147-26.36 3.59-50.015 5.627-78.35 6.698-15.584.59-55.209.59-72.339-.053Z\"><\/path>\n                <path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M-3.066 295.067 32.06 304.1v9.033H-3.066v-18.066Z\"><\/path>\n            <\/svg>\n            <\/div>\n\n    \n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<p>This article is <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/5-ways-sorting-halloween-candy-can-help-children-develop-mathematics-skills-170350\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">republished<\/a> from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. All photos provided by <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">The Conversation<\/a> from various sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thinking back on Halloween, were you a \u201cdump all your candy into one bowl\u201d child? Or did you enjoy meticulously sorting your treats into a post-Halloween candy store and trading with others? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you were the sorting and arranging type, whether you realized it or not, you took advantage of the many informal and unintentional mathematics learning opportunities Halloween provides. These opportunities likely have <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10643-009-0340-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">important long-term benefits for children\u2019s mathematical knowledge and confidence<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Math <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cogdev.2014.11.002\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">talk at home can promote early math learning<\/a>. Our research has consistently shown that <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jecp.2013.11.006\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">early exposure to math content at home predicts children\u2019s school mathematics outcomes<\/a>. In our latest work with <a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/cmi\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">colleagues who are part of a language learning and mathematics achievement research group<\/a>, we are learning that when children are involved in second or additional-language learning, gaining math vocabulary <a href=\"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1037\/edu0000673\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">in the additional language is also important<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Counting and sorting Halloween treats \u2014 and other forms of household sorting that caregivers could lead, like sorting socks in the laundry \u2014 allows children to learn important skills that lay the foundation for higher-level mathematics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to sort Halloween treats!\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/eaGMItI8osA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"every-day-early-learning-opportunities\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Every day early learning opportunities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of the strong relationship between early home learning and child outcomes, a group of researchers, community educators, high school and university students, founded <a href=\"https:\/\/www.toyboxmanitoba.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ToyBox, an educational resource<\/a>. This work started at the University of Winnipeg and now engages collaborators from across Canada. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ToyBox provides fun and easy-to-use ideas <a href=\"https:\/\/www.toyboxmanitoba.ca\/copy-of-literacy-activities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">about numbers<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.toyboxmanitoba.ca\/servicesmagazine-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">language<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.toyboxmanitoba.ca\/copy-of-numeracy-activities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">and wellness<\/a> that are based on child development research for caregivers and their children aged two to eight years. The resource offers learning activities for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners to capture the interests and developmental capabilities of young minds. Each activity also contains an explanation about why the idea is important for learning. Student collaborators created characters who accompany each strategy, to keep the learning fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One focus of ToyBox is helping caregivers to <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0956797615592630\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">use math every day to help increase math knowledge, which may also have benefits to keep the math learning positive<\/a>. Opportunities to highlight math in everyday lives could mean <a href=\"https:\/\/www.toyboxmanitoba.ca\/copy-of-let-s-sort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">talking about money<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.toyboxmanitoba.ca\/copy-of-storytelling-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">or time<\/a> \u2014 or using Halloween candy to highlight math concepts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"sorting-an-important-math-concept\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sorting: An important math concept<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Sorting is part of the early school math curricula. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5951\/TCM.12.5.0236\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">By sorting, children gain<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/03004430.2019.1608193\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">deep understandings<\/a>, including the attributes of objects and inferences about them. They learn about sameness or difference, and improve how thoughts are organized in their memories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sorting tasks encourage children to focus on categorizing objects by attributes such as size, shape, colour or brand. The roots of algebra and geometry are embedded in these problem-solving opportunities that present naturally in homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Caregivers can base discussions on what their children know and are ready to learn. Caregivers\u2019 involvement and approach may differ depending on the unique interests and capabilities of each child. Children\u2019s interests <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10643-013-0604-7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">and caregiver involvement support learning<\/a>. Have the conversation, and your child will surprise you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"ways-to-sort-candy-with-children\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ways to sort candy with children<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Involve children<\/strong> as you discuss categories. Children can sort however they want, and it is fun! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the little ones, caregivers could ask children to \u201cfind the orange ones,\u201d and then count them. Preschool children can be asked to count and sort by conventional candy type (chocolate bars, chips, gum). School-aged children can generate their own categories like \u201cmy favourites,\u201d \u201cDad\u2019s favourites\u201d or \u201cpeanut free.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Caregivers can ask children about their ideas for how to sort, or start them out with ideas: For example, sort by size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Encourage mathematics vocabulary and number and shape words:<\/strong> Caregivers can introduce or reiterate number words, or count in an additional language.  Comparative words like bigger or smaller, or superlative words like largest or smallest; or words representing sizes such as tiny, mini or bite-size can be used to expand vocabulary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Caregivers can be strategic and creative, using key vocabulary denoting shapes, but also in using words like long, fat, thin and round. They can talk about what math education experts call number magnitudes, like the concept of \u201cwhich has more.\u201d Children can learn measurement terms such as grams, millilitres, centimetres \u2014 or even money and unit costs.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Encourage children to <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cogdev.2017.07.003\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">make patterns<\/a><\/strong>  with the sorted candy as this activity also has learning benefits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. With older children, graph results<\/strong> to show patterns in the data derived from sorting. You do not need graph paper! In a YouTube example, one of our collaborators, early years teacher and parent <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/uaDxFaXL4Gc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sarah Melo shows how children can draw a graph<\/a> on plain or lined paper showing a simple list of categories. For instance, list different brands of candy, and then, across the top of the page, create lines to segment different boxes where children can show \u201chow many\u201d in each category. Melo\u2019s website, <a href=\"https:\/\/melomath4kids.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MeloMath4Kids<\/a> has great further resources. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/cdev.13199\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Talk about fractions<\/a>:<\/strong> For example: \u201cone-third of the treats are chocolate bars.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"more-ideas-for-home-learning\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">More ideas for home learning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For more ideas about early learning at home, we invite caregivers to consult the ToyBox website. Or you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.toyboxmanitoba.ca\/copy-of-sign-me-up\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sign up to receive regular<\/a> activities about language, numbers or wellness. We also continue to seek participants for our research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Happy counting and sorting this Halloween and beyond!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8212;<br>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.carleton.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Carleton Newsroom<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/170350\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\" alt=\"The Conversation\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. All photos provided by The Conversation from various sources. Thinking back on Halloween, were you a \u201cdump all your candy into one bowl\u201d child? Or did you enjoy meticulously sorting your treats into a post-Halloween candy store and trading with others? If you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":410,"featured_media":79525,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_story_type":[1623],"cu_story_tag":[],"class_list":["post-79524","cu_story","type-cu_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","cu_story_type-expert-perspectives"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/79524","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/cu_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/410"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/79524\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79529,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/79524\/revisions\/79529"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/79525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79524"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_story_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story_type?post=79524"},{"taxonomy":"cu_story_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story_tag?post=79524"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}