Maths in the World Around Us.
Here are 3 activities designed to help your children with early maths. Each activity can be tailor made to the group of children and their individual needs. The idea behind these activities is that maths is all around us; using our outdoor environment we can explore maths in a fun and interesting way. Using differentiation the activities can be enjoyed with children from 2 years +.
Shape Search
Look, listen and note: How children apply their understanding of shapes. How children recognise shapes. The circumstances when children begin to use the mathematical names for shapes. How children show curiosity and observation by talking about shapes, how they are the same or why some are different.
Planning and resourcing: Plan opportunities for children to describe and compare shapes. Provide ways for children to record the shapes they find and identify –for
example by providing cameras and making books about the shapes that are in their outdoor environment, for example in the local park, or on the way to the shops.
Effective practice: Demonstrate the language for shape in conversations with children. Encourage children to talk about the shapes they see around them. Provide opportunities for children to match shapes that they see outdoors. Support children to record the shapes that they can see and identify around them.
Development matters:
22-36 moths: Notices simple shapes and patterns. Begins to use language of size. Beginning to categorise objects according to properties such as shape and size.
30-50 months: Show an awareness of similarities of shapes in the environment. Match some shapes by recognising similarities and orientation. Show curiosity and observation by talking about shapes. Begin to use mathematical names for shapes. Early Learning Goal: Use language such as ‘circle’… to describe the shape…. of solids and flat shapes.
Number hunt
Look, listen and note: When children begin to use the names for number accurately.
The strategies that children use for matching number and quantity.
Planning and resourcing: Prepare laminated photographs or a scrapbook of features in the park or the street that can be ‘hunted’ for and counted, for example 1 door, 2 gates, 3 fence posts, 4 trees. Hunt for examples of a specific number outdoors, such as 3 drainpipes, 3 windows, 3 manhole covers. Give children a way of recording their discoveries, for example using cameras, or clipboards and pencils. Look for numbers in the world around us, numbers can be found on buses, cars and signage.
Differentiation is key is in this activity as it can be enjoyed by children from 2 years up, yet the activity will be made harder or easier depending on the age range taking part.
Effective practice: Introduce and use number language, for example ‘one’ ‘two’ three’, ‘lots’. Model and encourage use of mathematical language, for example by asking children ‘how many benches?’
Development matters:
22-36 months: Recites some number names in sequence. Begins to make comparisons between quantities. Use some language of quantities, such as more and a lot.
30-50 months: Uses some number names and number language spontaneously. Uses some number names accurately in play. Shows an interest of numerals in the environment. Realises not only objects, but anything can be counted, including steps, jumps and claps. Beginning to represent numbers using fingers, marks on paper or pictures.
40-60 months: Sometimes match number and quantity correctly. Recognise some numerals of personal significance. Count up to three or four objects by saying one number name for each item. Recognise numerals 1 to 5. Know that numbers identify how many objects there are in a set. Early Learning Goal: Say and use number names in order in familiar contexts. Count reliably up to 10 everyday objects.
Recognise numerals 1-9.
Outdoor rubbings
Look, listen and note: Take the children for a walk in the environment. Look at the world around them, what patterns can they see? Are there different textures and feelings? Different colours?
Planning and resourcing: Small group activity. Give children paper and crayons to use for their rubbings. In the park, can they see different surfaces they want to get rubbings of? Different ground, benches, trees, drain covers, man made and natural objects. How do the objects feel?
Effective practice: Use terms such as smooth, bumpy, cold, hard, soft, the same and different. Allow the children to discuss their finding using key vocabulary. Are the objects, big, small, what shapes are they?
Development matters:
22-36 months: notices simple shapes or patterns in picture (or the environment). Beginning to categorise objects according to properties such as shape or size.
30-50 months: Shows an awareness of similarities of shapes in the environment. Beginning to talk about the shapes of everyday objects, e.g. round, tall. Shows interest in shapes by sustained construction activity or by talking about shapes or arrangements.
40-60 months: Beginning to use mathematical names for ‘solid’ 3D shapes and ‘flat’ 2D shapes, and mathematical terms to describe shapes. Uses familiar objects and common shapes to create and recreate patterns and build models.