Children need to learn math earlier

WASHINGTON (NBC) - Experts ask the question: “How young is too young to learn math?”

A new report out Thursday said even in the first year of life, babies are grasping basic concepts, and preschools need to build on that so kids are not left behind when they hit kindergarten.

There has been a lot of concern about the U.S. being behind other nations in math and science. President Obama said he wants to make it a priority and now this new report explains how.

The National Research Council, a well-respected group of academics based in Washington said Americans have spent a lot of time teaching preschoolers the alphabet and not nearly enough time teaching them to count.

Jacob, 4, can count to 100 and his classmates are writing and grouping numbers; basic concepts that experts said children need well before they enter kindergarten.

"The longer you wait, the more chances you're going have that they're going fall through the cracks," said teacher Michael Helling.

The National Council Research aid kids ages three to six are already learning numbers and geometry though everyday experiences.

Anuschka Boekhoudt said she has her students count how many friends they have when they go line up.

"They're learning addition and subtraction but they don't really realize it you know,” Helling said. “It’s just fun for them.”

The reports said kids are ready to learn, but preschool teachers need more math training.

"If they're not comfortable; if they're not at least somewhat of a master of the subject, they can't begin to teach it to young children,” said Christopher Cross, member of the National Research Council.

The report finds many early education programs don’t include math at all. It is even worse for low-income children who often hit kindergarten behind and never catch up.

"If you start at a very young age, they don't get that fear like: “Oh, math! You know, I'm not good at math,”” Boekhoudt said.

Cross said math does not need to be scary.

“We aren't talking about having to have quadratic equations done by four- and five-year-olds.”

The National Research Council also suggested that companies that publish educational workbooks and textbooks beef up their curriculums to make preschool math more fun and creative.

The council argues that math is a foundation for many other subjects like science, art and music, and teaching it very early could lead to more a competitive adult workforce.