Maths

Talk together and have fun with numbers and patterns

Help your child to:

• find numbers around your home and neighbourhood, (clocks, letterboxes, speed signs etc.)

• count forwards and backwards (clocks, fingers and toes, letterboxes, action rhymes, signs)

• make patterns when counting "clap 1, stamp 2, clap 3, stamp 4, clap 5 …"

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

• make up number stories, for example, "You have 2 brothers and 2 sisters. There are 4 of them".

Here's a tip: maths is an important part of everyday life and there are lots of ways you can make it fun for your child.

Use easy, everyday activities

Involve your child in:

• preparing and sharing out food, for example, "two for me and two for you". Ask, "How many for each of us?"

• talking about time, for example, "lunchtime", "storytime", "bedtime"

• using words in everyday play, such as "under", "over", "between", "around", "behind", "up", "down", "heavy", "light", "round", "circle", "yesterday", "tomorrow". You can get library books with these words and ideas in them too

• asking questions such as "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?"

Here's a tip: use lots of mathematics words as your child is playing to develop their understanding of early mathematics (for example, "over", "under", "first, second, third", "round", "through", "before", "after"). Use the language that works best for you and your child.