# data[].attributes.body
Practitioner Resource links

# data[].attributes.body
Links to numeracy and maths activities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Skip to main content

Numeracy and mathematics

Here you will find a range of activities to support your child's learning at home in numeracy and mathematics. You won't need lots of resources and the activities are designed to encourage your child's creativity and independence. There are some activities that your child can do on their own. You may want to do some of the activities as a family.

Keep up to date

Our newsletters provide the latest information on education news and events, as well as details of resources and activities to help you support your child's learning.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.If you continue to use this website, we'll assume that you are happy to receive these cookies. Accept & Close Find out more

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Skip to main content Here you will find a range of activities to support your child's learning at home in numeracy and mathematics. You won't need lots of resources and the activities are designed to encourage your child's creativity and independence. There are some activities that your child can do on their own.

# data[].attributes.body
Video and activities for representing number collections up to 3

# data[].attributes.body
Resources that will help children to recognise small quantities. Dot pattern cards for subitising.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Count On Races game, played by an adult and a child, helps children learn to count on mentally. A coin or a dice with 1 or 2 on each face is used. Children say the next number when counting on. For example, when starting from 7, for a jump of 2 we say '8,9'.

The Cube Model (4-6) and Cube Model Advanced (4-6) tasks, children recreate the models. This task develops visual-spatial skills and helps children to recognise two parts within the whole.

The Reasoning in Addition Puzzles get children thinking deeply about the value of different shapes. This Mathsbot link allows you to generate new reasoning in addition puzzles.

Visual Representations

This article explains the importance of children's finger discrimination skills and this article gives different ways in which fingers can be used. Here are some Finger Discrimination tasks by Youcubed.

These Base-5 and Base-10 Number Tracks are coloured to help children to see quantities within a number track.

This Online Base-5 Abacus by Math Rack represents quantities 10-100 using a base-5 colouring.

The Coloured 100-Squares help to identify patterns in the 100-square and can support children as they count in 2s and 5s.

The Teens & Tens Cards help children to discern between teen and tens numbers. The Place Value Sorting Task show different representations of teen numbers and challenge children to spot misconceptions.

Progression in Pattern

The Progression in Pattern guidance shows how children's understanding of repeating patterns can be built. The Grids for Repeating Patterns can be used as children look to create circular patterns with a fixed number of spaces.
Number Foundations Assessment Fluency in Calculation Within 20 Spatial Reasoning in Early Childhood, Early Childhood Maths Group
Deconstructing Word Questions KS1 Tasks and Build-Up Presentation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A range of resources and games for building children's early number sense with small quantities and developing conceptual understanding.

# data[].attributes.body
Examples and grids for repeating patterns.

# data[].attributes.body
Link to BBC i player series 1 episodes. Numbers 1 to 5.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The animated adventures of friends who can always count on each other.

# data[].attributes.body
Numbers 1 to 10 songs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn to count and say hello to the Numberblocks as they introduce themselves through song!

# data[].attributes.body
Supporting the learning of maths at home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Blog: Supporting the learning of mathematics at home

Mathematics matters. Developing an understanding of mathematical concepts when we are young is essential, and children's early mathematical understanding is strongly associated with their later school achievement. ¹

But many parents state the biggest barrier to helping their children with mathematics is their own confidence in the subject, 2 and parents' fears and worries about maths are negatively associated with their children's achievement at school. 3 Given many parents are now playing a key role supporting maths in the home, schools face a challenge in supporting parents to support their children.

So, what does the evidence suggest might be the most effective ways of working with children at home to develop their mathematical knowledge and understanding, and how does this vary for children of different ages?

Younger children

Younger children will likely benefit from activities, games, and discussion with parents. Working with younger children at home, it is important not to see mathematics as a separate or standalone activity but rather as something which can be incorporated into everyday activities, games, stories, and conversations. ⁴

Here are some ways that we can support parents to celebrate maths as part of their day:

Board games, particularly ones with linear, numbered, equal-sized spaces can be useful for the development of early number skills. Most families will have 'Snakes and Ladders' or something similar; if not, this is a great opportunity to make your own!

Incorporate mathematics into everyday routines and activities: tidying up and meal times in particular provide opportunities for conversations about counting, comparing, time, and sharing.

Snack times and meals are a great opportunity to learn mathematics, such as counting, estimating and comparing. For example, with young children, you could count and match items in a 'Teddy Bears' Picnic.' You can compare quantities such as more or less or quantify food items (making sure to link the last number counted to the number of items in the set) or discuss the capacity of different cups or jugs. A parent or puppet can make deliberate errors in counting and sharing, with the child encouraged to identify these mistakes.

Use mathematical vocabulary where possible as part of conversations and play: for example, when making comparisons (which is bigger? which teddy is first in line? who has more? are they shared fairly?). Opportunities can also be taken for 'shape-spotting' and sorting around the home.

Finding the mathematics in story books. www.mathsthroughstories.org contains explicit links to mathematics in stories, but you can also consider opportunities in more common story books for mathematical discussion.

Use manipulatives to support learning. For example, building bricks could be used to model simple addition and multiplication, or toys used to make comparisons of size or quantity. Measuring items, scales, construction materials, puzzles, sorting and pattern materials are also great sources for discussion!

More can be found in the EEF guidance report: Improving Mathematics in the Early Years and Key Stage 1
Improving Mathematics in the Early Years and Key Stage 1

Five recommendations to support practitioners in developing the maths skills of 3-7 year-olds

Download PDF get_app

Older children

Older children's work at home is likely to be more closely linked to the mathematics recently studied in the classroom. When working with older children at home, parents are often faced with an additional challenge - that of mathematical subject material that they themselves may not have used for many years, or methods with which they are not familiar.

For this reason, much of the evidence about supporting older children with mathematics is about structure, encouragement, and routines.

Given support routines can prove so helpful, here are some ideas to share with parents:

Create a daily routine for mathematical practice with your child and reinforce this with praise and rewards. This can increase the amount of time spent 'on task' and improve the effectiveness of how that time is spent.5 You might want to consider linking this routine to the rhythm of a normal school day, but be realistic in what you can manage as a family.

Encourage your child to set goals, plan, and manage their time, effort, and emotions. This type of support can help children to regulate their own learning and will often be more valuable than direct help with mathematical tasks. As children become older, more independence can be expected but support will still be needed.

Having a place to study mathematics is helpful. This could be a desk in a bedroom or a place at the kitchen table. Ensure your child has the materials they need. Whatever they may tell you, a notebook and pen will always be needed for working out (even when tasks are online). Also, a calculator (scientific whenever possible), and a ruler as a minimum. Some tasks set by schools may need online access, and a laptop or tablet will usually be better than a mobile phone.

Away from providing structure, there are some tips for engaging in mathematical content with older children at home:

Many children enjoy practising times tables either online or on paper. There is value in this: evidence shows that pupils need to develop a fluent recall of mathematical facts, and times tables are among the most important of these.⁶

It can be difficult to learn new mathematical content away from the classroom, but evidence suggests that we should provide opportunities for children to retrieve the knowledge that they have previously learnt.⁷Parents should encourage practice of previously studied content. This might be via an online learning platform - a textbook - or simply revisiting questions from their school exercise book.

When attempting to engage with new content, providing worked examples of concepts is likely to be beneficial.

If parents don't feel confident providing these, schools should consider sending these home, either via email, an online learning platform, or in the post. A good worked example should show all steps clearly, be annotated, and provide a very similar follow-up problem for children to try.

More can be found in the EEF guidance report: Improving Mathematics in Key Stages 2 and 3

Improving Mathematics in Key Stages 2 and 3

Eight recommendations to improve outcomes in maths for 7-14 year olds

Download PDF get_app

There is, of course, much more to the learning of mathematics than is suggested in the above summary. But now is not the time to worry about perfect learning. By following some of these tips we hope that parents can gain some confidence in continuing the development of mathematical skills and knowledge under challenging circumstances.

Support resources for schools

Tools for schools to help support home learning and maximise the impact of work set.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Blog: Supporting the learning of mathematics at home | News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mathematics matters. Developing an understanding of mathematical concepts when we are young is essential, and children's early mathematical understanding is strongly associated with their later school achievement. 1 But many parents state the biggest barrier to helping their children with mathematics is their own confidence in the subject, 2 and parents' fears and worries about maths are negatively associated with their children's achievement at school.

# data[].attributes.body
Finger discrimination tasks to   build finger differentiation, which is important for developing numerical understanding

# data[].attributes.body
Daily routine activities to promote numeracy and maths

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Free, Research-Based Materials for Supporting Family Math

# data[].attributes.body
How to support your child with maths at home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
You're not alone if it's a struggle to get their homework done. Whether they're tired, you're low on time or you're just a bit rusty - some days it's just not happening.

The good news is there are easy ways to help your child with maths as part of your daily routine. There are also loads of maths games you can play whether it's a rainy day or you're out and about. Here are some top tips from mums and dads for fun ways to help your child with their maths:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How To Help Kids With Their Maths Homework | Parent Club

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You're not alone if it's a struggle to get their homework done. Whether they're tired, you're low on time or you're just a bit rusty - some days it's just not happening. The good news is there are easy ways to help your child with maths as part of your daily routine.

# data[].attributes.body
White Rose Maths worksheet - How Many legs?

# data[].attributes.body
Video, slides and activities counting to 5

# data[].attributes.body
Estimating,counting and comparing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Estimating, counting and comparing

Children often enjoy guessing, "How many are in the jar?" and then counting to see who is right. They get excited by big numbers!

Adults could provide a clear plastic jar with a number of things in it and change these daily. Filling a big jar with really small things will give children the experience of what large numbers look like.

The Activity
Children guess how many things are in the jar, then count to find out. Older children can record their guesses on post-it notes and then put these in order to discuss which estimates were closest.

Encouraging mathematical thinking and reasoning:

Describing
What do you notice?
How many can you see?
How do these pine cones compare with yesterday's beads?

Reasoning
How many do you think there are? Why do you think that?
Will it be more or less than 20? A lot more/less? Or a little more/less?
Will it be between 15 and 20? A little or a lot more than this? Or less than this?
How many can you see? How many do you think are hidden?
Was your guess more or less than the actual count?
Was your guess very close/way out? Why do you think that was?
Can you put the estimates in order on the board/washing line?
Were most people close or far out?

Opening Out
Are there more or less than yesterday? Why do you think that?
What if we fill it up again, but with the little bears?
How many do you think will fit in the tall jar/the matchbox/the crate? Is there a quicker way to count?

Recording
Can you write your estimate on a post-it note? Can you see your number on the number track? What numbers can you see that people have written?
Were a lot of people very close/way out?

The Mathematical Journey

Counting and cardinality:
* estimating amounts as numbers
* counting amounts above 10
* comparing numbers, more/less/fewer
* ordering numbers
* comparing amounts to a range of numbers, e.g. 15 to 20 or 25 to 30

Matching numerals and amounts:
* writing and reading numerals as estimates

Measures:
* using language: bigger, smaller, full, fuller, empty, emptier
* predicting and explaining that the smaller the object the less space they take up - "The little bears are smaller so it will be a big number"
* generalising - "If you have little things you get more"
Development and Variation

* Use natural objects (like pebbles, shells, pine cones and conkers) or small toys, coins, buttons, keys or cotton wool balls.
* Choose the size of objects to provide the number range you want children to work with.
* Vary the scale of container and objects e.g. use crates of bricks outdoors.
* Use assorted items which come in different sizes, such as shells or conkers, which will be harder to estimate but will provoke discussion.
* Two children can record everyone's guesses on a clipboard, and then count the items in the jar.
* Children can record their estimate by putting a peg on a number 'washing line'.
* Set up a Filling Station: fill several identical containers (e.g. matchboxes, yoghurt pots, fish bowls) with different kinds of items or fill different containers (e.g. one tall and narrow, one short and wide) with the same things.
* Weighing with balances: guess how many objects it will take to balance the teddy bear. What about two teddy bears?

Resources
A clear plastic jar and collections of objects:
* of uniform size such as marbles, coins, beads, cubes, jewels, cotton-wool balls and bears
* of non-uniform size such as conkers, pebbles, dinosaurs...

Post-it notes, pens, number track, board or washing line.

Download a pdf of this resource

Acknowledgements: Helen J Williams;
Julie Sale Headington Prep-School

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Estimating, counting and comparing Children often enjoy guessing, "How many are in the jar?" and then counting to see who is right. They get excited by big numbers! Adults could provide a clear plastic jar with a number of things in it and change these daily.

# data[].attributes.body
Counting and comparing different choices

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Use 'voting bricks' to vote for a book at story time. Which book has the most votes? How do you know?

# data[].attributes.body
Using shopping with values up to 10

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Children often enjoy shopping role play and exchanging coins for selected purchases.

Adults could structure the prices and money allocated to shoppers and model ground rules.

The Activity
Set up the pirate shop where pirates are only allowed ten pounds each and all pieces of treasure cost one pound. Encourage children who are acting as cashiers to check that shoppers buy no more than ten items. You may suggest that customers go back for more items to make up the ten if they don't have 'enough'!

Encouraging mathematical thinking and reasoning:

Describing
How much have you spent so far? How much have you got left?

Reasoning
How many more do you need to buy to have ten?
If you buy those two jewels, how much will you have spent? How much will you have left? How do you know?

Opening Out
If jewels are on offer, 'buy one get one free', how many will you get for five pounds?

Recording
Can you make a shopping list, so that you know how many things to get?
How do you know what you have bought from your list?

The Mathematical Journey

Counting:
* cardinality - the last number gives how many there are altogether
* counting for a purpose - to check the right amount of treasure

Number symbols:
* linking numerals to amounts

Adding and subtracting:
* saying how many you will have if you buy one more thing
* saying how many pounds you will have left if you buy one more thing
* saying how many more you need to have ten things altogether

Dividing and multiplying:
* counting in twos for the 'buy one get one free' offer

Development and Variation
Shops can obviously take a variety of forms, such as a building supplier or garden centre.
Changing prices, so everything costs £2, 10p or 5p, increases the level of challenge.
Games, where the supply of money is controlled by throwing the dice, can also help to structure the activity and focus children on the numbers involved.
Games can also involve real money which has to be checked at the end (e.g. by matching to silhouettes on box lids).

Resources

Plastic pound coins.
Treasure: anything gold, silver or sparkly - necklaces, gold chains, buttons etc. You can buy brightly coloured 'jewels' from educational suppliers.
Pirate supplies could include food, drink and nautical equipment.
Treasure chests, purses, bags for treasure purchases.
Pirate hats.

Download a pdf of this resource

Acknowledgements: Georgina Harry and her Reception class, Marlborough Primary School, Falmouth, Cornwall

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Children often enjoy shopping role play and exchanging coins for selected purchases. Adults could structure the prices and money allocated to shoppers and model ground rules. The Activity Set up the pirate shop where pirates are only allowed ten pounds each and all pieces of treasure cost one pound.

# data[].attributes.body
Talking about time and counting

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Children use everyday language to talk about time, to compare quantities and to solve problems

The Activity: set a timer for a minute (or half a minute) and count how many actions the child can do in that time, such as star jumps, hops, or writing their name.

Encouraging mathematical thinking and reasoning:
Describing
How many star jumps did you do? How many hops? Which did you do more of?
Did you do more or fewer than last time?
You did more jumps - does that mean you are getting faster or slower?

Reasoning

What do you think you can do more of in a minute, star jumps or twirls? Why do you think that is?
Try again - can you do more this time?
What makes you think you are getting faster? Or slower?

How many times do you think you can do 'heads, shoulder, knees and toes'? How many claps or stamps do you think you can do in half a minute?

Opening Out

Can you think of some other actions you can do in a minute? Writing your name? Singing happy birthday all the way through?
Can you put your coat and shoes on in a minute?
Stand up with your eyes shut: sit down when you think a minute is over. How close were you? Did you think a minute was a shorter or longer time than it really is?

Recording
Shall we write down how many jumps you do each time, so we can keep track. What do these show?

The Mathematical Journey

Counting actions: using the number sequence, tagging each item andsaying the total

comparing quantities and numbers, more / less / fewer / not as many

ordering several numbers most / biggest number / smallest number

estimating numbers
Matching numerals and amounts:
writing and reading numerals

Measures:

using language: quick / fast / faster / slower; takes a long / short time

predicting and explaining that the shorter time things take the more you can do in a minute (and vice versa): 'Clapping is really quick so you can do lots'.

generalising: ' if it takes a long time you get a small number'.

Development and Variation

There are a huge variety of activities which children might suggest, some very brief, like clapping (or blinking!) and some taking longer, like twirling round (or winking!). Outdoor activities might include running/hopping the length of a path, or throwing and catching a ball. Indoor activities might include saying a rhyme or singing songs.

Longer activities, such as running round a circuit, can be timed to the nearest minute and the number discussed. Does a smaller number of minutes mean that you are getting slower or faster - and why? Timings for daily activities such as getting dressed or tidying away toys can be recorded and compared.

You should brush your teeth for two minutes (twice a day) - can you guess when two minutes is up?

Resources

You can use the digital timer on a phone, or a wind-up kitchen timer which 'pings'. Egg-timers may be less effective as they do not make a noise when the time is up (and do not provide options and numbers to discuss).

A number track or ruler of some kind is useful to refer to, for children to see how to write the numbers.

You can make a 'tocker' with a coffee jar lid, a lump of playdough or blutak, and a piece of card stuck on to provide a pointed 'handle', on which you can draw a face and hat. Pull the point so it is flat on the table and then release it: the lid should 'tock' several times to and fro before coming to rest. Use this time period to see how many things you can do. Or make tockers with different lids or amounts of playdough and set them off at the same time to see how long they keep tocking.

Download a pdf of this resource
Acknowledgement: Penny Latham

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Children use everyday language to talk about time, to compare quantities and to solve problems The Activity: set a timer for a minute (or half a minute) and count how many actions the child can do in that time, such as star jumps, hops, or writing their name.

# data[].attributes.body
Introduction to numbers and counting, and start to use basic mathematical language.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Help your 4 or 5 year old practice maths at home with everyday maths games and activities. Help your child learn by making maths fun!

# data[].attributes.body
Drag & drop game

# data[].attributes.body
Counting, Matching and Ordering game.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ladybird Spots - Counting, Matching and Ordering game

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Three fun counting, matching and ordering numbers games can help early years children learn to count objects and recognise numbers 1 to 10 and also number words to 10.

# data[].attributes.body
Game for matching digits / numbers in words with number representations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Created with Raphaël 2.1.4Copyright ©2015 Creative Smarts Inc.

# data[].attributes.body
Counting to 10 game.

# data[].attributes.body
Fun counting game.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learning to Count up to 15 with Teddy Numbers Interactive Maths Game

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A fun learning to count maths game for early years children by Topmarks. Count out treats to give to teddy.

# data[].attributes.body
Matching simple 2D shapes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Shape Monsters - 2D Shapes Matching Game

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An interactive, maths 2D shapes game for young children who are learning the names of basic shapes. Children identify shapes by comparison and the Shape Monsters tell them the names of the shapes.

# data[].attributes.body
Complete shape patterns

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
QR CODE

Scan this on mobiles and tablets to quickly open this web page.

Shape Patterns is a sequencing game where you need to complete the pattern of different coloured 2D shapes. It is a multiple choice game with three levels of difficulty. It is excellent for shape recognition and for problem solving.

In the easier levels you need to continue the pattern, but in the more challenging level 3, you are presented with a sequence with the missing element in different positions. This level in particular, is an excellent problem solving activity.

As with all of our games, Shape Patterns works well on an interactive whiteboard.

AGE

3-8 Years

SUBJECTS

Maths Shapes Sequencing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Shapes patterns is a free, shapes sequencing game where children need to complete a sequence of different coloured 2D shapes. For children from 3 to 8 years.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
QR CODE

Scan this on mobiles and tablets to quickly open this web page.

Symmetry Matching is a maths game which involves mirroring an image along a line of symmetry. Options include pictures, shapes and randomly generated patterns.

The pictures and patterns have vertical lines of symmetry while the shapes include both vertical and horizontal lines of symmetry. The randomly generated patterns is the most difficult option.

For further practise on symmetry you can try our Symmetry Sorting game.

AGE

4-8 Years

SUBJECTS

Maths Shapes Symmetry

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Symmetry Matching - Reflective Symmetry Game

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Symmetry Matching is a maths game where children complete an image by adding its mirror image along a line of symmetry. It includes matching objects, shapes and patterns. Tablet-friendly.

# data[].attributes.body
Simple graphing game.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Grab hats as people pass by so that George can graph the collected hats. Then answer a question about the hats!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
QR CODE

Scan this on mobiles and tablets to quickly open this web page.

Coins game is a money game which introduces children to coinage in British, Australian, American and Euro currencies. The currency defaults to British, but can be changed by clicking on the flags. The game is designed for 4-10 year olds.

It has three game modes. The first activity, Sorting, helps children to recognise the different coins. The second, Ordering, involves arranging the coins from lowest to highest values. Thirdly, the Counting game has eight different ability levels where children count the amounts of money on a piggy bank. It can help to improve children's accuracy in counting money and it is useful for classroom money activities as a better alternative than plastic money. All three activities lend themselves well to use on an interactive whiteboard.

AGE

4-10 Years

SUBJECTS

Maths Money

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Free sorting, ordering and counting games for 4 to 10 year olds. British, Australian, American and Euro currencies supported.

# data[].attributes.body
Options allow for differentiation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
QR CODE

Scan this on mobiles and tablets to quickly open this web page.

Toy Shop Money is a game for helping children understand UK money. There are two game modes; the first where children use coins to make up varying amounts to buy the toys and the second where they work out change.

This money game has varying levels of difficulty; the easiest levels involve working out amounts with coins of the same denomination and the activities progress from counting out amounts with mixed coins to working out change from up to a £10 note.

The game also supports other currencies including Euros, and Australian and US money.

AGE

4-11 Years

SUBJECTS

Maths Money

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A shopping game where children work out which coins will buy toy shop items and where they can calculate change. Suitable for children 4 - 11 years and tablet-friendly. Different levels of difficulty and currencies - GBP, USD, AUD, EUR.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Here's a great educational game to play with your child if they are in their first year of school or want to have a taste of what they'll be learning when they start. This maths game has been especially created with the support of Early Years experts to help your child learn whilst having fun.

With this game, children will be able to join Bud the bee, explore his magical garden and practise recognising numbers, counting, sequencing and much more! How many creepy crawlies are hiding in the leaf pile? How many eggs are left to hatch? There are some fun songs too! Ready to get exploring? Press play to start.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Here's a great educational game to play with your child if they are in their first year of school or want to have a taste of what they'll be learning when they start. This maths game has been especially created with the support of Early Years experts to help your child learn whilst having fun.

# data[].attributes.body
BBC Video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Students could read out the dialogue written on the screen during the sketch as though actually talking with Rodd. Students could call out the answers to questions posed by Rodd and join in the counting, actions and roaring. After sharing this clip, students could play their own missing number game. One student could count to a number between one and twenty, replacing the final number with a roar. Classmates could try to work out which number the roar replaced. Alternatively, the missing 'roar' number could be in the middle as the numbers are counted, making it more tricky to identify.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Counting to 20 - Early level Maths and Numeracy - BBC Bitesize

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students could read out the dialogue written on the screen during the sketch as though actually talking with Rodd. Students could call out the answers to questions posed by Rodd and join in the counting, actions and roaring. After sharing this clip, students could play their own missing number game.

# data[].attributes.body
BBC video clip

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How long is a minute? Sabrina wants to enter a competition to rap the most words in one minute but is not sure how long this is. Children explore what they can do in one minute providing useful reference points e.g. 60 star jumps as each takes one second. Sabrina considers how we can see one minute passing on the clock as the minute hand moves from one little line to the next, recognising that there are 60 little lines around the clock. She finds it easier to use a sand timer to measure one minute in order to practise her rap. She raps for one minute, managing to say 180 words in that time.

Show the children a one-minute timer and see if they can be silent for one minute. What else can they do in one minute? Whose name can you write the most times in one minute? Why? Help children to recognise that if the name is short, it is quicker to write. Ask children if they can count the little lines round a clock. How many are there all together? How many are there between 1 and 2, or 2 and 3? Once they have had a chance to investigate, tell them that there are 60 lines round the clock because there are 60 minutes in one hour.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The minute - Early level Maths and Numeracy - BBC Bitesize

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How long is a minute? Sabrina wants to enter a competition to rap the most words in one minute but is not sure how long this is. Children explore what they can do in one minute providing useful reference points e.g. 60 star jumps as each takes one second.

# data[].attributes.body
BBC video clip

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How long is five minutes? Sabrina examines different ways to measure five minutes and measures Tempo's five minute shower. Children discuss the devices they use to measure five minutes, such as a clock, a timer on a tablet and a kitchen timer. They also talk about when that is useful, for example in turn taking. Sabrina and the children make a clock cake for Tempo's birthday, complete with 12 numbers and 60 little lines. They work out how to show five past on the cake clock, carefully counting the little lines and relate this to the number of fingers on one hand. Six people with 12 hands are gathered around the clock cake, and each hand could show the five minute intervals.

Children can use this to investigate the number five. If each person has five fingers on each hand, how many hands would you need to show 10 fingers? 30 fingers? 60 fingers? 15 fingers?Count in fives, initially whispering the numbers that are not multiples of five and say the multiples of five loudly so that the children learn the pattern. Count the little lines round the clock to check that there are five little lines between each pair of numbers. Count round the clock in fives, pointing to each number to work out how many little lines there are.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Five minutes - Early level Maths and Numeracy - BBC Bitesize

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How long is five minutes? Sabrina examines different ways to measure five minutes and measures Tempo's five minute shower. Children discuss the devices they use to measure five minutes, such as a clock, a timer on a tablet and a kitchen timer. They also talk about when that is useful, for example in turn taking.

# data[].attributes.body
Singing Walrus

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
The Singing Walrus - English Songs For Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Counting 1-10 Song | Number Songs for Children | The Singing Walrus

# data[].attributes.body
ABC mouse

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ten in the Bed - Roll Over, Roll Over! | Count & Learn Subtraction Song 🎶 | ABCmouse 🌛🌟

# data[].attributes.body
ABCMouse

# data[].attributes.body
Practical activities for exploring rotation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Creative STAR Learning | I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When you write a book, one of the interesting challenges is deciding what needs to be included and what should be omitted. It's never an easy task. One concept that I felt I didn't do justice to in Messy Maths, was that of rotation. Thus I thought it would be good to blog about this subject...

An interest in rotation often begins very young when a baby is mesmerised with the turning motion of objects within their sight. As children grow and develop, they enjoy spinning, turning and rotating an array of objects from dials on radios and toys to large experiences such as sitting on a roundabout in a play park. The sensation for many children in being able to spin and turn their own bodies can be a sought-after experience.
What children may be learning
Rotation lends itself to many outdoor explorations that have strong links to science and maths concepts:

How objects and toys can be moved.

That to spin a toy requires a push, a pull or a turn (a force)

When I spin around, I get dizzy

Cause and effect: when I turn a knob, something may happen, e.g. the volume of sound increases or decreases on a radio.

Rotation is a geometric transformation. Whilst young children need not know this vocabulary, they need plenty of play experiences of rotation in order to visualise how objects can be rotated in space when they are older. It is also the foundations of rotational symmetry.

Routines
Look at routines in your setting and consider if you ensure children have opportunities to regularly:

Turn a door knob to get outside.

Open and close gates and doors (the rotation happens on the hinge).

Move resources - for example, a play house may be carried across the play space and then turned to face a different direction.

Out and about

At a play park, explore and enjoy all the equipment that spins, turns, rotates or has moving circles.

Look for hills to roll down. Estimate then check how many times a child can rotate between two points?

Visit a car tyre specialist and observe how the staff change tyres on a car.

When out for a walk, look for items that spin or turn, e.g.

1. Car wheels

2. Steering wheels

3. Automatic car washers (with the big brushes)

4. Wind vanes

5. Wind turbines and windmills

6. Water wheels

7. Helicopters in the air

8. Lighthouses, police cars and ambulances - the flashing light is often caused by a rotation

9. Charity penny drops - you add money and it falls and moves and spins as it goes into the collection box

At home
Ask parents to spend time with their child finding examples of things that rotate:

Kitchen and toilet rolls

Screw tops on bottles

Dials on cookers, microwaves

Taps that turn water off and on

Washing machines on a spin cycle

Watching water go down a plug hole after a bath

Using a salad spinner to dry washed lettuce

Watching a liquidiser or food processor

Physical opportunities

Spinning on the spot.

Learning how to hula hoop.

Undertake a range of position and movement activities linked to turns.

Playing games and action songs which involve rotating, either by individual children or a group, such as moving round as a circle.

Swinging on swings, especially rope swings which enable children to spin around as well as swing backwards and forwards.

Learning to use a screw and screwdriver and attaching nuts and bolts. A hand drill is a practical application of rotation to create a hole.

Spinning little and large objects such as hula hoops, spinners, balls and coins.

Add a range of rolling pins into the sand pit so children learn how to create a flat surface through using the rolling pin.

In nature

Throw sycamore seeds into the air and watching them helicopter to the ground.

Spin cones of different types and sizes. In nature, pine cones and eggs do have some ability to roll but spinning seems to be easier

Look at the concentric circles on tree stumps or wooden disks. Feel the circles and the continuous nature of the circles.

Collect conkers in autumn and rotate them to fit them back in their cases - NB supervise and wash hands after use as conkers are potentially harmful.

Stir water in a puddle. Is it the depth of the puddle or the type of stick used that creates the best effect?

Go and search for the perfect circular stone and learn how to spin it, just like spinning a coin.

Enjoy wave watching on a stormy day as the white horses curl and crash onto the shore.

Explore spirals and rotations in nature.

Construction and technology

Provide a range of different bikes, trikes and other vehicles that rely on rotating wheels to move. Does the type of wheel affect ease of movement?

Find examples of swivel wheels such as those on the front of buggies. These rotate in two different ways, just like shopping trolleys.

Use wheel barrows when gardening and for transporting materials around the outdoor space.

Have an old bike which children can explore and take apart. This involves unscrewing lots of bits and finding out about gears. A bike wheel can be used in water play as a giant water wheel.

Have a range of tyres and cable drums for children to use and move around when playing. Go for sizes appropriate to age: go-kart tyres, motor bike tyres are generally more manoeuvrable by younger children.

A pulley is comprised or one or more wheels which rotate. Develop pulley systems to transport baskets and other items around the outdoor space. Find out what happens when a double pulley is used compared with a single pulley. Set up two pulleys beside each other so the children can directly compare the lifting of one object compared to another. Ask the children to count and compare the number of pulls taken to lift the load up into the air.

You can also set up pulleys at two different posts, branches or places. Thread rope between each load and up through the pulleys. Add a handle or object which allows a child to stand in the middle and pull the rope down so that both loads are lifted simultaneously. The children also enjoy the seesaw effect of pulling one load down and watching the other get lifted up. It is like a pulling-based seesaw.

Enjoy rolling a range of balls down guttering. How can you work out the number of rotations a ball will make on its travels?

Older children can explore how rotation is linked to shapes through drawing around moveable objects outside. Provide chalk and big objects like tyres or crates for the children to draw around. Encourage accuracy but remember this is a skill that takes time to develop. Talk about the size of the objects and how much space they take up on the ground. For younger children, this can be done more easily outdoors in the sand or gravel areas using a stick or their finger.

If a child chalks the outline of a milk crate, she can see how many different ways the crate will fit into the outline without turning it over. A circle or the circular face of a cylinder (e.g. a bore pipe) will have infinite ways of fitting into its outline.

Expressive arts

Hang spiral mobiles that spin around - children can make these from paper and decorate them.

Hang CDs outside in ways which enable children to spin them and look at the rainbows being made.

Make paper windmills that spin in the wind.

Use a salad spinner with water and see the pattern that emerges when it is spun over asphalt on a dry day.

Introduce a pendulum - hang a washing up bottle filled with water upside down and swing from a tripod or from a rope placed high up. Look at the patterns made by the rotating water

Become a human pendulum. Swing water around when spinning and see what pattern is made on dry ground.

Put a blob of paint onto lazy susan then spin it to see how the paint moves when rotated.

Using ribbons on sticks and streamers to swing around and create circles

If there is a local person who has a spinning wheel, then it is worthwhile inviting them to demonstrate how this works, so that children can see wool being spun from fleece. Don't forget to read the fairy tale, Rumplestiltskin.

Collect bottle tops, smooth pebbles and other small objects with curved sides that will roll. This is useful for conversation about things that can roll and why.

Messy Maths was published one year ago. Many thanks to everyone who has been kind enough to purchase a copy. I'm also delighted that it won the Benjamin Franklin Award in the Education Book category and was also a finalist in the Education Resource Awards and a finalist in the Forward Indies Book Award.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When you write a book, one of the interesting challenges is deciding what needs to be included and what should be omitted. It's never an easy task. One concept that I felt I didn't do justice to in Messy Maths, was that of rotation. Thus I thought it would be good to blog about this subject...

# data[].attributes.body
Outdoor learning ideas for measurement

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Creative STAR Learning | I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This past year I have had my passion for ropes revived. It all began quite innocently during as I was co-presenting a Forest Kindergarten course with Marian Cairns. She was talking about Sammy the Snake - a piece of thin rope she used with children to help them learn to tie knots. One end of the rope had red tape and the other blue, so that children could distinguish between the two ends.

I couldn't help viewing Sammy the Snake as a floppy stick. Sticks are hard and have lots of mathematical uses. However, as shapes need both straight and curved edges, I realised that my straight sticks finally had a curvy rope companion.

Here's some mathematical ways I've used the little pieces of rope:
I talk about Sammy the Snake as a helpful friend
It means little stories can be developed around his mathematical life. Children relate well to this and it adds an extra dimension to the learning. There is some research evidence to suggest that children can better understand concepts such as conservation of number when stories and characters are used.
My little snakes are one-metre long
This enables them to be used as a standard unit for measuring purposes. Objects which have curves such as lamp posts, tree trunks and car wheels are much easier to measure. The challenge is to find something that is exactly one metre long. Then Sammy the Snake is especially pleased, just like when we realise we are the same height as something.
The snake is a useful impartial judge
This is helpful during games such as the stick measuring game. When a bent stick is placed on the sheet and discussions arise as to whether it is longer than a nearby straight stick, then the snake can be used for measuring the length.
Estimating one-metre
A challenge for older children who have had experience of using one-metre to measure objects is to create a metre using materials available outside. It is a great way of finding out who has a conceptual understanding of one-metre. It is also worth having a discussion about how the children did this task. What did they use as reference points? For example, some people go for the length of a stride. Others will use objects such as the side of a clipboard and use this as a guide to creating a metre. Children can check their results using the metre-long rope.
The snake is an introduction to fractions and the concept of halves and quarters
Sammy the snake does exercises to keep fit and flexible. He is really proud of his ability to bend over and make his head touch his tail. He discovered that not only can he fold himself in half, on a good day he can even make himself into quarters. A beautiful explanation of using string for introducing the concept of equivalence is found in Nick Tiley-Nunn's book, Primary Maths - Anyone Can Feed Sweets to Sharks.
The snakes make quick shapes and sets
Sticks are great for making quick shapes such as squares and rectangles. But rope snakes make circles, ovals and other curved shapes. This is useful for making both discrete and overlapping sets such as Venn Diagrams. So wherever you are working, it is possible to sort and classify objects.
Investigate shapes with a snake
It's also possible to do lots of other shape investigations. Add in camping pegs, tie Sammy in a knot and see what shapes can be made. The pegs can be used at the corners of shapes. How many pegs are needed to make Sammy the Snake become a square? What about a triangle? What do you notice about the number of pegs you use and the variety of shapes Sammy the Snake can make with his body?
Conservation of length
Children often believe that a piece of rope coiled up is shorter than when it is rolled out. Sammy the Snake can be helpful here. He likes to take a nap where he rolls himself up small. He does this for many reasons: he keeps himself warm and snug. He takes up less space so can sleep in a hole or a pocket. Children can compare his length to another 1-metre piece of rope and see for themselves that Sammy doesn't change his length when he curls up, he simply has found a way of fitting into a small space.
Creating snaky digits
Another little story which works well is how Sammy likes to learn to recognise his numbers by making twisting and turning his body into each number. Can the children make his body do this? Can they make the shapes with their own body?

Type of rope used

I used cheap white rope. For several reasons:

It's visible. It can be easily seen on a range of different surfaces.

It's static and doesn't stretch. This is better for accurate measurements.

It's cheap. So I can make up lots for little money.

It's flexible enough to roll up and keep inside my jacket pocket. Every educator needs a metre in their pocket.

I'd love to know how you get on with using Sammy the 1-metre Snake. Please write your experiences below. I've also used Sammy for literacy work too but that's for another blog post.

For those who live in countries who have snakes, then Sammy can also be used to help children learn to check for snakes in their backyards or outdoor spaces. Sammy and his friends can be hidden in places such as tyres so that children learn to check first before using.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Introducing Sammy the 1-metre Rope Snake

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This past year I have had my passion for ropes revived. It all began quite innocently during as I was co-presenting a Forest Kindergarten course with Marian Cairns. She was talking about Sammy the Snake - a piece of thin

# data[].attributes.body
Differentiated by Primary level. Ideas for exploring money.

# data[].attributes.body
Ideas to support you to design experiences about halves and whole objects.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) experiences and outcomes: Early level

I can share out a group of items by making smaller groups and can split a whole object into smaller parts. (MNU 0-07a)

Purpose of the experience

Numeracy and mathematical thinking involves many different skills. Children need to develop skills in problem solving and measuring. This is developed best when children interact in the world around them in playful numeracy experiences. This experience helps children to explore halving objects. It is important that these experiences are repeated several times over a period of time.

It's important to get feedback from these experiences to show the progress the child is making in their understanding of fractions.

Learning activities

Introduce the activity by showing the children pictures of familiar whole objects and asking them to name them. For example, a cake, an orange or a t-shirt. Next, show the children pictures of a half of the same items.

Encourage the children to use the words 'half' and 'whole' to describe what they see. Remind them that when we half something, both parts need to be equal.

Next, provide the children with a range of whole and half items. Ask the children to sort the items into whole items and half items. Some children will be able to do this independently. Others may require support from an adult. The children could make labels for their groups. Encourage them to talk about the whole and half objects using appropriate vocabulary.

Finally, get the children to take a photograph or create a drawing of their groups. Ask them to label their photograph or drawing with words to describe their groups. For example, whole, half, equal, same.

Extension activity
National benchmarks

Splits a whole into smaller parts and explains that equal parts are the same size.

Uses appropriate vocabulary to describe halves.

Possible approach to assessing learning

The following questions could be used to ascertain a child's progress:

Can the child explain that halves need to be equal?

Can they sort items into halves and wholes?

You may want to consider the latest guidance from Education Scotland when planning approaches to assessment

A particular focus on the Early Level Play Pedagogy Toolkit will support reflections on play pedagogy. Reflective questions and observations could include the following:

What is happening in terms of interactions, experiences and spaces?

Are children interacting and talking with others?

What would you do next to encourage reinforcement and/or extension of learning?
Early Level Play Pedagogy Toolkit

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I can share out a group of items by making smaller groups and can split a whole object into smaller parts. (MNU 0-07a) Numeracy and mathematical thinking involves many different skills. Children need to develop skills in problem solving and measuring. This is developed best when children interact in the world around them in playful numeracy experiences.

# data[].attributes.body
A song about halves and halving. Everyday items such as chocolate, drinks, fruit, vegetables and numbers are cut in half by children.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A song about halves and halving. Everyday items such as chocolate, drinks, fruit, vegetables and numbers are cut in half by children. In some cases, items are halved and then halved again to make four equal parts. The images show the practical everyday use of fractions and the link between maths and the real world.

Divide students into pairs and provide each with a range of objects which can be shared or cut in half. Discuss how students can ensure that sharing is fair and reinforce the fact that halves must always be equal parts. Pairs could join to make groups of four and share their objects with their new group members.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Halves and halving - 1st level Maths and Numeracy - BBC Bitesize

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A song about halves and halving. Everyday items such as chocolate, drinks, fruit, vegetables and numbers are cut in half by children. In some cases, items are halved and then halved again to make four equal parts. The images show the practical everyday use of fractions and the link between maths and the real world.

# data[].attributes.body
Cards/posters for 1 to 9.

# data[].attributes.body
Writing numbers songs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Baby Shark - Pinkfong Kids’ Songs & Stories

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Writing Numbers | Number Songs | PINKFONG Songs for Children