Mathematical Development

Numbers as labels and for counting

Labels Children will:
See numbers as labels around them all the time, both indoors and outdoors. Some examples of what they might see are: House numbers, bus numbers, car number plates, numbers on TVs and videos, numbers on coins, calculators, mobile phones ... Begin to learn that numbers indicate and mean something at an early age. Begin to recognise their shape, learn their names and start to count.

Counting Children will:

Say numbers in order. Match numbers to objects when they have been counted Point to each object in turn as they say the number Realise that, for example, five objects are still five, however they are arranged

What you can do to help

Use lots of mathematical language during activities and routines Use stories and rhymes to develop understanding of number Encourage children to use number language and concepts Provide numbers in different forms e.g. puzzles, number games, magnetic numbers, wooden numbers, foam numbers ... Display numbers around the room and regularly refer to them. Use a pegged number line for missing number and jumbled up number games Use dice for counting games and activities Use number labels with the children e.g. on bikes, on targets during physical play, on badges, during snack-time, on signs e.g. for how many children can be in the role play area or how many aprons hang on the hook ...

Mathematical Development
Calculating
Children will:
Use numbers in practical, meaningful situations/contexts Talk about numbers in their everyday life Begin to make deductions about these numbers Start comparing (leads to subtraction) Start combining (leads to addition) Start sharing and grouping (leads to division) Start adding groups of the same number of objects (leads to multiplication)

What you can do to help:

Model language for them e.g. more, less, the same as, fewer, altogether, each, number before, number after ... Ask questions such as: How many more? Are there enough? How many more do we need? Have we all got the same? Who has most? Encourage children to solve problems during activities e.g. How many more will there be if I add two more biscuits? Oh dear, there aren't enough beakers for everyone. What shall we do? Use stories such as 'The Three Billy Goats Gruff' or 'The Three Little Pigs' to encourage understanding of number concepts e.g. two Billy goats have gone over the bridge so how many are left? Act out stories and rhymes so children can physically experience number concepts Use a variety of natural and manmade materials for children to sort and group Play games where children are required to see how many there are altogether or how many are left e.g. skittles Encourage children to start making simple recordings by drawing and making their own marks e.g. a tally of how many cars pass by on the road or how many children want juice or milk this morning.

Mathematical Development
Shape, Space and Measures
Shape Children will:
Develop an awareness of similarities and differences in the form and shape of objects Explore the different properties of shapes e.g. those which will roll, those which sit flat on the table, those which have corners, how many sides a shape has, solid and flat shapes Start to name some familiar shapes in the environment e.g. plates are round, cans are cylinders, windows might be squares or rectangles etc.

Space Children will:

Handle shapes and fit them together Use shapes to build models Arrange shapes to create pictures and patterns Start to understand and use shape and positional language e.g. teddy is sitting next to dolly, the ball is behind the chair ...

Measures Children will:

Pack, fill, empty and make things fit Compare sizes and quantities Begin to use objects for measuring e.g. blocks, footprints Begin to understand amounts e.g. using water and sand Learn about orders in routines and events Begin to understand and use time measures e.g. o'clock, today, last week, this afternoon, tomorrow ... Begin to understand about how long it takes to do something

Shape, Space and Measures (continued)

What you can do to help: Encourage children to play with, explore and use a variety of different
3D and flat shaped objects Help them to notice and describe the different properties of shapes Make shapes with playdough, clay, in cooking Draw their attention to different shapes in the environment Model shape, size and positional language and encourage them to use it Provide games and activities involving shape, position and patterns Encourage children to make their own arrangements and patterns of shapes Let children cut out their own shapes and make pictures from them Play feely games e.g. put a shape or object in a bag so children can't see it, pass round the circle, who can feel the shape and guess what it is? Use different shaped objects in construction and junk modelling Use 'time' language during everyday routines, if possible using a time line. Use sand timers and battery timers to measure short periods of time Display different clocks and watches Use sand and water to encourage children to measure amounts Use strips of paper, string, footprints etc to find tallest, shortest objects and to measure distance Pose problems e.g. Which shape could we use for a wheel? Which shell is small enough to fit in the box? How many chairs can we fit in here? How can we find out which is the longest? Play guessing games e.g. stick different lengthed straws in a sand tray so that they all look the same height. Get children to guess which is the longest/shortest before taking the straws out. Pass same sized boxes containing different sized objects round the circle and ask children to guess which box has the largest object in it