⚖️⏰Maths - to teach or to ‘just play’? ☎️🎲
Lots of practitioners in the Early Years often ask the questions “How should I teach Maths?” “Should I teach a daily Maths lesson?” “Do I need to keep Maths evidence in books?” There is no right answer to these questions. The truth is, Maths can be taught in a number of different ways. It really depends on the needs of your children and how they learn best.
At Little Wonders, we’ve always believed that Maths concepts can most effectively be taught through play and with an exciting, stimulating environment. Teaching a Maths ‘skill’ such as telling the time and then having a variety of clocks in different areas of your environment (including digital clocks, analogue clocks, stop watches) will then enable children to practise the skill that you’ve taught through their play. Children then consolidate this skill, practise it in different ways and can fully demonstrate their understanding. This way of teaching can be done with any area of Maths - time, money, shape, pattern, measure, number...the list goes on. If you can, try to create curiosity and wonder by inviting children to explore some unusual resources that they might not have seen before. This will provoke questions and encourage mathematical language. If the skill you are teaching is measure, have tape measures but also some large trundle wheels. If the skill you are teaching is money, show them a debit card as well as some old coins and currency from other countries. 🏡If you’re currently homeschooling your little wonderer, look out for everyday Maths opportunities in your house. Here’s a few ideas... Count the stairs, sort the cutlery drawer, go on a shape hunt, go on a number hunt, play with old phones, set timed challenges with a timer, sing number songs, play dominoes, weigh out ingredients when you’re baking, order toys by size, set up a shop where you have to pay for daily snacks (a great way of limiting those little wonderers that are eating you out of house and home!😆). 🌟If you’ve done any great Maths learning at home or in your setting, please feel free to share ideas in the comments below!🌟
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