Play provides the foundation for understanding mathematics
Mathematical concepts that children must be exposed to in the early years in South Africa is described in the National Curriculum Framework for children Birth to Four. Children need to explore through play, numbers and counting, sorting, classifying, making comparisons, problem solving, and discovering shape, space and measurement.
Laying the foundation for mathematics starts with exploring numbers and counting. When picking up toys to tidy up, children should be encouraged to count the toys as they are packed away, and songs and rhymes that include counting and numbers are fun ways to learn the names of numbers and to practice counting. Understanding number concepts is reinforced through everyday activities such as fetching paintbrushes for children around a table; one child counts how many friends are around the table and then fetches the corresponding number of paintbrushes.
During play there are multiple opportunities for children to sort toys, blocks, and play materials according to colour, size or shape. A number of games require children to classify pictures into groups or to make comparisons. Building puzzles require children to create the picture by matching colours and shapes and rotating puzzles pieces to interlock — all skills which are related to, and encourage problem-solving skills.
Learning about the different kinds of shapes, its characteristics and discovering patterns are learned while the child plays with a game containing shapes and an adult interacts with the child. Children learn the names of the shapes, discover patterns and are given the vocabulary to explain the properties of the shapes as a result of the child and the practitioner’s conversation during play.
Learning about space happens when children play outside and make their way through an obstacle course. A tin can, a bundle of sticks, and chairs packed to create a tunnel, is a perfect play activity to learn spatial words such as going around the can, jumping over the bundle of sticks and crawling between the legs of the chair. TThe sandpit creates the opportunity for young children to learn about measurement. The questions adults ask encourage problem solving and thinking skills, which are important building blocks of mathematical learning. This kind of conversation turns everyday play activities of children into opportunities for learning mathematical concepts and skills.
Understanding measurement, space, numbers and the world of mathematics happens when children are provided with rich play opportunities where the adult is able to join in or extend children’s play, linking it to what young children should be understanding about early mathematics. Painting, building puzzles and constructing with blocks or children crawling through an obstacle course are perfect playful mathematics early learning opportunities. Understanding mathematics through play should be advocated for and implemented by all who serve young children.