Early mathematical thinking

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Early mathematical thinking

HomeEarly childhood education resourcesEarly mathematical thinking

Topic summary

Children are surprisingly motivated and able to engage in mathematical thinking and problem-solving before they begin formal schooling and are thought to understand some mathematical concepts intuitively from birth.

From a very young age, children can show an interest and engage in foundational mathematical thinking. This includes numeracy skills such as relative magnitude and basic arithmetical understanding, spatial skills such as an interest in building and shapes, and pattern skills such as recognising and extending sequences.

Supporting children to explore and develop their understanding of foundational maths skills involving numeracy, patterns and spatial understanding can facilitate their ongoing learning in maths. Numeral knowledge, which links children’s knowledge of quantities with their symbolic representations and tends to develop as children approach the age of five, is also predictive of children’s success in mathematics in early to late primary school.

There is a growing body of evidence to demonstrate both the kinds of mathematical thinking that young children are able and motivated to engage in, and the relationship between the development of certain early mathematical skills and knowledge and later maths achievement. 

Early childhood teachers can notice and respond to children’s emerging interest in and understanding of maths by supporting them to further develop those interests and understandings through a combination of free play and guided play techniques such as games. By being aware of the foundational maths skills that children are ready to learn and demonstrate in early childhood, teachers can recognise when children are practising those skills on their own during play, and intentionally design and incorporate ways to support and develop these skills into the curriculum.

  • How do you recognise early mathematical thinking in children’s play and language?
  • How do you intentionally support children’s interest in and understanding of early maths through free and guided play activities?
  • How can you build your own understanding of foundational mathematical skills and knowledge in order to recognise and support it in the children you work with?

Research reviews

An introduction to supporting early maths in early childhood education

How to recognise and develop children’s early interest in and enthusiasm for maths in early childhood settings.

Non-symbolic relations and combinations

How to spot and check understanding of magnitude comparison and simple arithmetic.

Symbolic number skills

A closer look at rote counting/ordinal relations and numerical identification.

Connecting non-symbolic to symbolic representations 

Understanding object counting, subitising and numeral knowledge.

Symbolic relations and combinations

Symbolic magnitude comparison and adding and subtracting quantities using number words or written numerals.

Spatial skills

Learn how to identify and guide spatial visualisation, form perception and visual/spatial working memory.

Repeating pattern skills

Fixing, copying, extending and abstracting patterns.

The role of pattern in children’s early mathematical understanding

How noticing and learning about patterns contributes to children's developing mathematical understanding.

Culturally responsive mathematics teaching in early childhood education

The importance of culture in children's early maths learning.

Supporting mathematical learning through language

How using mathematical language in early childhood education supports young children's understanding of mathematical concepts.

Webinars

Supporting early mathematical thinking in early childhood education settings

Dr Erica Zippert talks about how to support children to explore and develop their understanding of foundational maths skills involving numeracy, patterns, and spatial understanding.

Infographics

Supporting Early Maths infographic

How to support early mathematical thinking.

Snapshots

Developing mathematical skills in early childhood

Key insights from the webinar on early numeracy with Erica Zippert.
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