Comparison
- Play hiding games so children notice that something has ‘gone’.
- Provide varied sets of objects for playful opportunities for children to independently explore ‘lots’, ‘more’, ‘not many’ and ‘not enough’.
Counting
- Count while engaging in everyday tasks and while moving around.
- Sing songs with counting strings, eg 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Once I caught a fish alive.
Spatial Reasoning
- Designate specific places or spaces for items to be kept and fitted into for tidying.
- Respect children’s urge to explore spaces, to get inside and move between.
- Build towers up for the child to knock down.
- Provide shape sorters and packaging where children can hide, enclose or post items through holes.
Shape
- Provide a range of inset board and puzzles with large pieces.
- Provide a range of construction materials for independent play.
- Organise storage by shape, with photos or silhouettes to show where things are kept.
Pattern
- Plan to share stories and songs that contain repeated elements, eg Brown, Bear, Brown Bear and which help children to anticipate what might come next, eg Heads, shoulders, knees and toes.
Measures
- Provide a range of objects, including big, heavy and awkward ones that can be transported, both indoors and outdoors.
- Provide different sizes and shapes of bags, boxes and containers so that children can experiment with filling, experiencing weight and size.
- Plan to share images and books which show the order of daily routines.