Helping Students with Estimation

Here are some great ideas either a teacher or parent can incorporate every day/week to help students with the idea of estimating.

*Starting out in the beginning, put a few large objects (golf balls, toy cars, etc.) in a glass jar or clear, plastic container, and have the children estimate how many objects there are in the container. Then, each week use smaller objects that make the estimation slightly more difficult. As the weeks progress, the children should become increasingly better at estimating an appropriate amount.

*Another way to increase children's knowledge of estimating is to have them estimate how many wooden, alphabet blocks, or small plastic, building blocks would be necessary to fill a box.