Play is the natural way in which children learn. It is the process through 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.
The quality of children’s play is greatly influenced by the adults around them. Adults can provide materials and encouragement and open the door to new activities and learning. Play cannot be directed by adults. An adult can support, enhance or extend play, but the moment they interfere or dictate its progress then it ceases to be play.
The words Maths and Play have absolutely nothing to do with each other. For many of us, maths was a torture, something we had to do and something we didn’t understand and couldn’t do. Play on the other hand was something we loved. Young children are learning maths all the time through a wide variety of play experiences. From the time they are born, babies are surrounded by sense impressions. Shapes in particular are of immediate importance: babies react instinctively to the arrangement of shapes which make up the human face. In the home, in parent and toddler groups and pre-school settings, children have many opportunities to enjoy and learn Maths through play. Play is an effective vehicle for fostering Mathematical concepts and developing positive attitudes to mathematics. Adults in the pre-school setting should seek to extend informally the mathematical experiences the children have already had in their home environment.
Examples of this may include:
- Setting places at the table – a cup for me, a cup for you
- Playing with water
- Steering the buggy
- Helping to sort the washing
- Tidying up
- Sand and water play
- Promoting mathematical language: heavy, light, small, big, full, empty
- Books and Rhymes
- Encourage sequencing with blocks/ cars
Early math skills are just as important as early literacy; in fact, it can improve reading and writing skills.
