Four simple games that will turn your next trip to the grocery store into an adventure in math.

When my children were tiny, I used to count aloud as I dressed them for the day. One, as the first sock slipped on. Two, for the second. Then one shoe, two shoes. Once they were old enough to pick up on the words Mommy was singsonging, the kids joined in, and math play would extend throughout our day, up and down our 11 stairs and through three loads of laundry.

For my children, numbers games still help counteract the boredom that can set in when I am too busy to entertain them. When we're at the grocery store, for instance, I like to have not just a shopping list in hand but also an array of activities in mind to challenge the kids' counting and sorting skills. That way, I'm prepared for anything — including a cheese department that's not handing out samples.