Nursery World - A parent's guide to early maths

If your child is aged between three and five years old and you live in England, the chances are that your child will be studying maths. Mathematical development is one of the six areas of learning in the Foundation Stage that was introduced in nurseries and reception classes in September 2000. The type of maths that children of this age should be doing, however, is not writing sums, but sorting socks! Children under six years need to 'touch' and 'do' in order to learn, because their memory is very visual and they tend not to remember the spoken word or have the physical skills to hold a pencil easily.

The type of maths that children of this age should be doing, however, is not writing sums, but sorting socks! Children under six years need to 'touch' and 'do' in order to learn, because their memory is very visual and they tend not to remember the spoken word or have the physical skills to hold a pencil easily.

The focus of maths teaching in the Foundation Stage is based on practical activities that can be incorporated into children's play. This will also make it much more enjoyable for them.

Sorting is one of the skills that children need in order to be able to see patterns, understand sizes of numbers and use logic - all essential for them to do well in maths later. They also need to learn how to predict and estimate.

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