Mathematical vocabulary opportunities

Many mathematical concepts can be incidentally discussed during play activities and within a normal day’s routines.

Outdoors

The outdoor environment is rich with opportunities for children to experiment, to make their own discoveries, to develop physical, intellectual and social skills and to participate in activities that are challenging and stimulating to their creative minds and imaginations. The combination of outdoor activities and mathematics is an effective way to increase children’s awareness of mathematics.

Examples of vocabulary to develop:

In the kitchen

Children enjoy being involved in cooking activities. Cooking provides opportunities for children to develop many mathematical concepts. As children discuss their activities they clarify their mathematical understandings. The observations they make are a basis for problem solving. They undertake processes and are given opportunities to explore many of the concepts of measurement such as time, volume, capacity, mass, length.

Examples of vocabulary to develop:

Being crafty

Art and Craft activities provide excellent opportunities for young children to explore a variety of materials. The manipulation of art and craft materials is a powerful and creative vehicle for the exploration and development of mathematical concepts and language that strongly relates to space, area and pattern. The problems children encounter and the language they use is directly related to what they can see and feel making their learning more meaningful.

Examples of vocabulary to develop:

Using their ears

Children are constantly experiencing the patterns of sound in the world around them and are exposed to a wide range of music on tape, radio and television. As children take part in and talk about musical activities, their mathematical understandings will grow and develop. When children explore sounds, they are also comparing length, ordering, investigating number patterns (rhythm), time relationships (tempo), sorting and classifying (high-low, soft-loud). When they participate in movement activities, children are exploring space and developing a knowledge of positional terms.

Examples of vocabulary to develop:

Water works

Water is a natural medium that fascinates children. Through water play mathematical ideas such as volume and capacity, displacement, classifi cation, properties of shape, pathways, routes and networks, can be developed.

Examples of vocabulary to develop:

Construction

Constructive play is a satisfying and challenging experience for children of all ages. Through handling and experimenting with a variety of materials and equipment children become aware of the many ways in which the materials and equipment can be used. At the same time, mathematical ideas such as location and position, recognising the properties of shapes, creating patterns, developing an awareness of measurement and number are being exposed to children.

Examples of vocabulary to develop:

Acting it out

Imitative play through mime, puppetry and other role playing activities are a valuable part of children’s early experiences. Mathematical experiences are an incidental part of imitative play and occur as a result of interaction with materials and equipment. An example of this might be when children ‘make’ a shop and play shopkeepers. Talking through mathematical experiences helps to develop and clarify children’s understandings.

Examples of vocabulary to develop:

Modelling

Modelling with clay, plasticine and playdough provides children with very valuable opportunities for mathematical learning. Modelling with different media can develop concepts of shape, measurement, length, area, volume, capacity and mass as well as early number experiences.

Examples of vocabulary to develop: