Playful Mathematics
For children 3 to 7
Nursery World Professional Book of the Year 2022
Children are naturally mathematical in their play. They play with mathematics.
Early years’ practitioners often struggle to make mathematics relevant and engaging for their young learners. In their play, children are naturally mathematical yet practitioners are often unsure about how to build on this or how this observed play ‘fits’ in with the mathematics they teach.
This Nursery World Award Winning Book:
*Empowers early years teachers to see the learning in this play and to remain committed to play based practice
*Outlines recent research on how children best learn mathematics
*Supports early years practitioners to know why preparation works better than planning and why 'thinking space' matters more than you think
This text has been recommended to our FD Educational Practice students / those working in the early years to engage children’s maths learning through fun activities. Additionally, students are able to explore the website links within the chapters to link practical experiences, theory and examples of how they may extend the learning opportunities in their own settings. The images / vignettes gave students prompts for discussion, further enabling them to discuss what resources can be available for young children to develop curiosity and problem-solving and advance maths skills in their play.
Provides up to date evidence based strategies and concepts and connects us to how children best learn mathematics with clear underpinning in the Early Years. A very well considered text.
Excellent resource for student teachers
This is essential for primary mathematics teaching and learning
Maths often remains a subject that practitioners are fearful of- this book helps to support the playfulness that can be incorporated into practice, supporting all those involved