Positive relationships: A parent's guide to ... early maths

A good starting point is to remember that babies and young children pick things up quickly without any formal teaching. If you have a toddler, you probably have spotted that 'more' was a quickly acquired word! This means that you do not need to reach for any flashcards, maths colouringin sheets or computer games. Through chatting with your child and playing a few games, they pick up quite a few mathematical skills. So let's start off with babies.

BABIES

If you have a baby, you are probably doing maths with them without realising it. Building up a tower of bricks or stacking beakers and letting them knock it down helps them to learn that things can change shape. It also helps them to notice size. In the same way, if you roll a ball, your baby is learning about speed and distance. Being rocked and also hearing rhymes will also help your baby. Your child is learning about patterns. You may also notice that your baby reacts if you suddenly stop singing or rocking. In the first year or so, most babies will also learn about things being finished or empty if they are shown empty bowls and we say 'all gone'. Again, this is all mathematical, and if you combine this with a few classic toys such as a jack-in-the-box and some pop-up toys, your child will be well on their way.

TODDLERS

Toddlers love being busy. Just being on a sit-and-ride toy is helping your child learn about space and speed. At first, your child will get stuck because she's miscalculated the width of a gap, but by the age of three she's likely to be something of a roadhog! Look out, too, for posting activities, as toddlers love dropping things. This can be anything from a posting toy to a cardboard tube and a potato. Try counting the objects as they are dropped in - the more times a child hears the counting, the better.

Toddlers will also learn about maths from all things to do with food. Count the spoonfuls left in a bowl and talk about 'little' or 'more'. You could also ask your child if they have had enough or are full. All these little conversations will help your child learn the language of maths.

Then, of course, there's water play! Most toddlers love filling cups and beakers with water. They also like toys that let them squirt, as well as squeezing water out of sponges. If you don't feel like letting them do this in the kitchen with a washing up bowl, just allow extra time in the shower and bath. Add in new containers for them to explore and you will have not only a clean child, but also one who is exploring capacity.

CHILDREN FROM AGE THREE ONWARDS

From three onwards, you may find that your child starts to count aloud. It is a hit and miss affair at first, but over time, children learn the words and start to get things in the right order. While hearing your child count is wonderful, it is only the first step on the journey. Your child will need to learn to count objects. You can help by counting objects and touching them at the same time - for example, touch and count the number of buttons on a coat or the number of pieces left to go in a puzzle. Don't be surprised if it takes a while for your child to be able to do this; some children are nearly six years old before they can count ten objects reliably.

Once your child is starting to do this, you might introduce simple games that use dice. My homemade game is to roll a dice and then fill up a cup with teaspoons of sand. If you don't have sand, try using rice or water. As with toddlers, children will also enjoy playing and exploring water. You may also like to do some simple cooking with them. This helps them learn to measure and count out. All good stuff when it comes to having fun with maths. Finally, this is also the age to start pointing out numerals. Start with numbers around and about. Numbers on the door, on the phone or on the remote control. Once your child is able to point and say a number, look out for games where they have to match a number to objects.

EARLY MATHS TIPS

• - Provide jigsaw puzzles and bricks, as these are good for problem solving and spatial awareness.
• - Don't worry if your child makes mistakes with counting.
• - Point out numbers in day-today life.
• - Encourage your child to join in as you count.
• - Play games with dice for older children.
• - Keep all early maths practical so your child develops strong concepts of number.

CASE STUDY

'Millie started counting when she was about three. Her counting made me laugh, as she would often make up words such as 'tenteen'. She also worked out quickly what one and two meant. She would take two biscuits and smile at me, before putting one back. She also loved doing jigsaw puzzles, and I would often sit with her and count the pieces.

All in all, I was quite happy with her progress, until I went round to a friend's house and spotted that she was getting her son to work out little sums. She said that it would help him get ahead at school. Seeing how much her son could do really worried me. Luckily, the following week, we were due to look around schools. I asked a couple of reception teachers about how much maths Millie would need to know. They both said if she was talking well and could play nicely, she would be fine. It was hugely reassuring, and although I did go out and buy some magnetic numbers, we only used them to play with. She is now in Year 2 and loves maths. She makes up her own sums and sometimes sets me problems!'