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.
Spatial Awareness
- 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 which help children to anticipate what might come next.
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.