Early Years Numeracy and its Importance
It is known and well researched that children learn so much more during their first 5 years, compared to rest of their life. Babies are born ready to learn, with more than one million neural connections forming every second during the first few years of life. Researches have shown that children who participate in quality education program in early years usually have a better concept of math and arrive at school better equipped with stronger sense of confidence, social skills and cognitive skills.
Numeracy is one of those concepts that are better learned through day-to-day activities. Early Numeracy is not about children saying numbers by rote method, it is much more than that. Numeracy is all about counting, measuring, understanding concepts like symmetry, fractions, Grouping, sorting, estimating, adding, subtracting and much much more. This is all done through play, conversions and interactions between adults and children.
We need numeracy to do things like:
- Problem-solve: How many beads i need to make a bracelet for my mum?
- Patterns: What comes next? What number will be my house?
- Making choices: How many slices of pizza I have and what can i share?
How do children learn Numeracy?
Child learn the concept of numeracy from the day they are born. Learning happens through experiencing Numeracy in action.
For example, While walking to the park, we can count how many trees are passed or what house numbers we can see on the left and the right side of the street. These discussions will allow children to learn the concept of direction, one to one correspondent counting, odd and even numbers and recognition of numbers.
While cooking, you can talk to children about the quantity or items that are getting used. For example, how many cups of flour do we need to make cookies? or how many slices of apple we want to cut? These discussions will allow children to learn the concept of volume, measurement and fractions.
Math is Everywhere
When you engage with children in book reading, playing with blocks or art and craft activities, they will learn how and why math is useful.
- Small and big
- Fast and slow
- How far and how close
- First, second and last
It is true that Math is everywhere, and it is up to us on how we incorporate that into children’s daily lives. Reading books that have numbers is one way to show children how numbers work. Like Five Little ducks, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Ten little Fingers and Ten Little toes are some of those examples. Playing in the playground with balls and kicking and counting kicks, or simply going to the shops and looking at all the price tags that have specials, can also start the conversation with children about big and small numbers.
I know, when I go for a drive my 3 year old daughter always points out the speed signs and we have a discussion about what that number is and what it means. We match and compare that number with the speed on my dashboard and usually, this also keeps me checked with my speed limit.
Math can be fun, and making it fun is our job as a parent and as an educator. Research has shown that, if the children are having fun, they are definitely grasping the concepts of what we are trying to teach them.
What is the Let's Count Program
Creative Nook Early Learning Centre has partnered with the LET’S COUNT PROGRAM run by The Smith Family. This award-winning program is developed by pioneers of early childhood education Bob Perry and Sue Dockett, who wants educators and parents to Notice, Explore and Talk about Math in everyday life. The Let’s Count program has been implemented in Australia since 2010.
Our educators are currently going through the training on how to support families and children in making math more fun and part of the daily conversation, without it being a chore. Let’s Count provides face to face and online training to early childhood educators, to support children and facilitate the engagement of families into their children’s daily mathematical experiences.
What to do next
Its simple! Just Notice, Explore and Talk about mathematical concepts in children’s everyday lives.
You can also use this handy tool to help you find ideas and concepts on how to incorporate math in children’s daily lives.
The Let’s Count Facebook Messenger bot is an interactive platform that uses everyday activities and objects to suggest ways in which you can support your children’s math’s learning, like counting the change and weighing the fruit whilst out shopping.
The activities are all designed to help children to Notice, Explore and Talk about mathematics.
Why is this Important
At Creative Nook, we believe that children learn through play and they should develop the early Literacy and Numeracy skills. Numeracy skill is the foundation for a successful participation in society, where math is used for budgeting, marketing and employment. STEM is a part of our daily curriculum, where children are learning concepts of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Our children engage in a variety of activities, like sorting, dice play, dance movements, play dough making and cooking activities. These activities focus on children’s ability to ask questions, discuss, problem solve and develop not just numeracy but social and communication skills.
Through partnership with families, and introducing Let’s Count initiative among our community, will only strengthen the mathematical ability of children as they transition to primary school. Not just children, but their families will also feel confident that they had best opportunities in early education.
Our aim at Creative Nook is to work in collaboration with families, and educate and support them to know more about everyday math and how to implement Math in children’s everyday play.
Together, we can change the way we see math and show our children that math can be fun and easy to learn. If they are provided with best support now, in their early years, their grasp of complex math will be much easier for them later in their educational lives.
Let’s Count all together.
