How does Maths fit into a Learning through Play Environment?

How can we stimulate math learning through play? 

What mathematical concepts children are picking when they are learning through play and what we can do to facilitate their learning in the classroom?

Play is very important for learning mathematical concpets, play is the natural way that children learn and make sense of the world around them. Play is enables children to “explore, investigate, recreate and come to understand their world” (earlyyears). This enables children to grasp many mathematical concepts, including; experimenting with math language such as measurement, shapes, patterns and ordering, children can begin to understand positional words such as in, on, outside, they show an awareness of time, are aware of shape in their environment and become to me aware of conservation. Children are making sense of how number systems work and not just reciting numbers i.e. playing “supermarkets” ‘can I have 3 pieces of fruit?’. Children understand what three means and looks like.

Math experiences need to be both planned and spontaneous. Children need both teacher-initiated group work and freely chosen play activities. Children need to be interested in what they are learning, play is a vehicle, it gives students plenty of opportunities to experience mathematical concepts. There needs to be a balance between teacher initiated and child-initiated activities. Content matter and student choice is important for math as it creates meaningful learning experiences, play provides this opportunity. When students learn in meaningful contexts this enables children recognise their own strengths and interests and build on these through engaging in play they find interesting. 

So how do we facilitate this in the play environment to ensure our children are experimenting and learning about these mathematical concepts? 

• Sand and water, language dough, imaginative play, books and rhymes i.e. ‘one, two buckle my shoe…., physical play and nature help to introduce mathematical concepts to children. 
• Further equipment could include; a bakery kit: recipe cards, bowls, cooking utensils, supermarket kit: empty boxes, play money, scales, shopping lists, price tags, cash register, measuring and weighing kit: tools such as rulers and scales.

To implement this into my teaching I will ensure that children have a lot of access to these materials when they are learning through play. When talking to them and questioning them in the play based environment I will ensure that we are using mathematical terminology in our conversations. I will continue to run my math programme with both planned teacher activities but also with lots of play as I acknowledge the importance of play to stimulate math thinking. When they are playing they are learning and they don’t need to constantly be doing activity sheets as the play they are engaging in is very important to the concepts they are picking up.

Questions I now have include what about the children that are not naturally drawn to maths activities, do we want to push/encourage them towards more mathematical talk or will they pick up on mathematical concepts in any play they are incidentally doing? 

Resources/Readings

http://www.ero.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/ERO-Early-mathematics-March-2016.pdf

https://education.govt.nz/early-childhood/teaching-and-learning/learning-tools-and-resources/play-ideas/maths/

http://www.early-years.org/parents/docs/maths-through-play.pdf

Perry, B., & Dockett, S. (2007). Play and mathematics [Abstract]. The Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers. doi:10.1107/s2052520617010769/ps5062sup1.cif