Children are learning all the time and play is a natural way in which they develop their skills. Allowing children the time to play and explore helps them to understand the world and everything around us, and in doing so regularly, they can increase their knowledge and awareness of how things work.
It’s our job to ensure the highest quality of learning through play and to be role models for our children. With the right encouragement, we can enhance children’s experiences and support all areas of learning! At Barncliffe Day Nursery, we are always encouraging our children to explore different ways of learning, but how do we promote learning maths through play?
Unfortunately, many of us think back to our earlier years and remember bad memories about learning maths in school. However, these days, learning maths early on in the right setting and in the right way can bring a whole new purpose, providing fresh learning opportunities and sparking curiosity in little minds. Here is how you can encourage your child to practice mathematical activities through play.
Learning maths through play in the home.
The home is a perfect place to get your child thinking mathematically. With the right support, children can get a solid grasp on different mathematical concepts through play alone. From number songs to following instructions using words like in, on and outside, children will begin to learn the number system and be able to think mathematically to complete a task.
Singing repetitive number songs will get your children thinking about mathematics and help them to retain crucial information which they can then use at different times. The home environment is a great place to encourage this. Using positional and descriptive words can develop mathematical language and help children to use them in the relevant contexts.
Including your child when carrying out simple household activities can encourage them to use basic mathematical skills to succeed. Activities such as organising clothes into different colours or household items into different shapes will help to develop their knowledge and use these different skills without thinking about them.
Playing with games and toys can develop both fine motor skills and mathematical skills through physical activity. Try sorting jigsaw pieces, threading beads and sequencing blocks or cars into size, shape and pattern. These skills combined will also help to develop an understanding of weight and dimension as well as understanding mathematical language.
Books and reading.
This ties in with language – children can enjoy reading stories and rhymes with mathematical elements with an adult as well as developing their literacy skills in the process. This will help your child to practice sequencing and counting, and the repetition of certain stories and rhymes will help the information to stick in their minds.
Nature and the outdoors.
Outdoor learning is so valuable when developing a child’s mind. With the help of an adult, children can learn to sow seeds and grow plants, understanding measurements, developing the right language and observing the colours, shapes and sizes of different plants and shrubs. Ensure your garden is safe and allow your child to explore and learn whilst enjoying their time outdoors.
Sand and water.
Playing with sand and water not only develops children’s knowledge of shape and patterns, but also helps them to develop mathematical concepts. Is a container heavy or light? Empty or full? How much water or sand can a container hold, and which can hold the most? By asking your child questions, they will also learn to use words to describe their findings.
Learning maths through play is very beneficial for your child.
Learning maths through play early on will prove very beneficial in your child’s later life. At Barncliffe Day Nursery, we encourage all the above points to help your little ones develop the right skills to keep with them for a lifetime.
If you want more information about what we do here at Barncliffe, or if you’d like to enquire about getting your child a place, get in touch with us today by calling us on 01484 604817.