What can you do at home?

1. Start with a question
2. Thinking happens when we have time to struggle – GIVE TIME for curiosity to deepen and develop the ability to take a risk.
3. You are not the answer key! “Is that right?” your child asks…”I don’t know but let’s find out”. Not knowing is not failure.  Encourage explanations and reasoning.
4. Say “Yes” to your child’s ideas – even if they are wrong.
5. Play – what books are to reading, play is to maths.

Play is a natural way for children to learn.  It is the process by which children explore, investigate, recreate and come to understand their world.  Play is an activity in which everything that a child knows and can do is practised or used to make sense of what is new.

COURAGE - CURIOSITY - CREATIVITY

Maths and play – do they have anything to do with each other?

• Lay the table ( a cup for me, a cup for you.  2 cups)
• Playing with water (capacity)
• Steering the pram (directional language)
• Sort the washing (matching socks, big shirt/small shirt)
• Tidying up (sorting, putting similar items together)
• Matching lids to saucepans (language of size)
• Play peek a boo – reveal a shape a little at a time and at different angles.  What could it be?  What could it not be?
• Be a robot and ask children to give you instructions to get to somewhere.  Let them have a turn at being the robot for you to instruct.
• Use everyday words to describe position eg when following a pathway or playing at the park.

Useful bits & pieces

https://global.oup.com/education/content/primary/series/numicon/home/?region=international https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/maths-owl/maths

Useful text for parents - Maths for Mums and Dads by Mike Askew and Rob Eastaway