Math

• Talk together and have fun with numbers and patterns;

• Identify numbers around your home – clocks, microwave;

• Counting - everyday objects around the house;

• Do simple sums using objects such as stones or marbles eg 2 + 3, 4 +1, 5 + 4;

• Talk about numbers when preparing and sharing out food – "two for me and two for you". Ask, "How many for each of us?"

• Talk about time – "lunchtime", "story time", "bedtime";

• Ask questions like "How many apples do we need for lunches? What do you think the weather is going to be like today/tomorrow? What are we going to do next?"

• Play with water using different shaped containers and measuring cups in the sink or bath;

• Play dress-ups and getting dressed, use words like "short", "long", and ask questions like "what goes on first?", "what goes on next?", "does it fit?"

• Create a ‘sorting box’ with all sorts of ‘treasure’ – bottle tops, shells, stones, poi, toys, acorns, pounamu (greenstone), cardboard shapes, leaves. Sort objects in shapes, colours, sizes or type of object eg metal, wood, plastic. Ask questions like "how many?", "which is the biggest group?", "which is the smallest?", "how many for each of us?"

• Do jigsaw puzzles, play card and board games and build with blocks and lego;

• Measure objects e.g. length of footsteps, weight of pumpkins, height of children;

• Talk about shapes at home - a round plate, an oval frame, a square box. What makes them the same? What makes them different?

• Play games that get children going over, under, through, behind, above;

• Talk about how things are the same or different. Look for the patterns in leaves or on shells. Match things up – socks, pyjama top and bottom, shoes;

• Work out which lids fit on which pots;

• Link numbers with objects to show them what ‘one’, ‘two’, ‘three’ or ‘five’ means. For instance one nose, one mouth, two ears, two legs and five fingers;

• Read stories and rhymes (eg Three Blind Mice, Goldilocks and the Three Bears) and sing songs that use numbers;

• Count as you walk up and down steps, do up buttons, lay the table;

• Cook – measure the ingredients, share food evenly;

• Listen to music – clap, count and sing the rhythm;

• Build – use building blocks, measure length and height, match size and shape.

Positional language flash cards:

The websites below have games and activities you could do with your child:

Check out some of these free maths apps below: