Let's Talk About Early Maths Learning!

Did you know that babies start learning maths concepts before they can even talk? It's true! When your little one notices they have two hands, or that their snack is all gone, they're already beginning to understand mathematical concepts. Isn't that amazing?

 

Making Maths Less Scary and More Engaging

Let’s be honest maths can feel intimidating, not just for children but for adults too! If you’ve ever thought, “I’m just not a maths person,” you’re certainly not alone. This anxiety often stems from the way maths was taught - rigid, rule-based, and disconnected from real-life contexts. But the good news is, as a home-educating parent, you have the flexibility to break away from that approach and make maths a subject your child can truly enjoy and understand.

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Why Does Maths Feel So Daunting?

The Language of Maths: Think of maths as having its own vocabulary and language. Terms like “denominator” and “coefficient” can seem like a foreign language at first, and that language barrier can make concepts feel more complicated. Other terms like  "sum," "difference," and "product" are part of maths' unique language.

 

Abstract Numbers:

Numbers by themselves can seem meaningless to children. That’s why using concrete materials (like counting blocks, Lego or even snacks) helps solidify understanding. For example, showing that 3 + 2 equals 5 by grouping physical objects makes maths feel real and intuitive.

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Rules, Rules, Rules:

Maths has rules that don’t change, whether you’re dealing with small numbers, large numbers and fractions. Knowing this will make your child more fluent in calculation because they will see the patterns across all areas of number. 

However, practice doesn’t have to be boring! Mix things up with games, puzzles, and hands-on activities. For example:

• Card games and dice can teach size of number and calculation.

• Board games like "Snakes and Ladders, Ludo and Guess Who" can encourage lots of maths talk while having fun.

• Cooking together transforms fractions and measurements into a delicious experience.

 

Connect the Dots Between Maths Concepts:

One of the biggest mistakes is teaching maths topics in isolation. Instead, show how everything is interconnected. Teach addition alongside subtraction to highlight how they are inverses (one undoes the other). Show how fractions relate to division to make these concepts click. By making these connections, your child will start to see maths as a web of connected ideas rather than a series of unrelated areas.

Think of maths like building with LEGO - you start with the foundations and gradually create something more complex. Early maths skills include:

• Counting (1, 2, 3...)

• Recognising patterns (like windows or bricks in buildings)

• Understanding quantities (more, less, lots, few, none)

• Estimating (Will these blocks fit in this box?)

• Problem-solving (How can I share these cakes equally?)

• Spatial awareness (over, under, behind)

• And patterns – patterns - PATTERNS all around. All you need to do is look.

 

Remember: The key is to make maths fun and engaging. When learning feels like a game, children are more eager to participate, and they often absorb lessons without even realising it. The more maths becomes part of their everyday world, the less scary and more approachable it will be.

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Take Your Time - Everyone Learns Differently!

 

Here's something really important to remember - there's no race to master maths! Just like learning to walk or talk, every child develops their understanding at their own perfect pace.

Think about building a house - you wouldn't start with the roof, right? You need strong foundations first! It's the same with maths. When children really understand how numbers work together (like knowing that 5 is made up of 2 and 3, or 1 and 4), they're building a foundation that will help them tackle bigger challenges later.

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Numbers Are Like Invisible Friends

• Numbers can seem mysterious because they are often written as abstract numerials.

• That's why using real objects helps so much!

• Counting blocks, sharing cakes or measuring ingredients makes numbers come to life.

 

Maths Has Reliable Rules

• Like a favourite board game, maths has rules that always work.

• Once you know these rules, they work for ALL numbers - how cool is that!

• The same rule that tells us 2 + 2 = 4 helps us understand 2,002 + 2,002 = 4,004.

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IT IS ALL ABOUT PATTERNS