Early Years Numeracy: Pick and Mix Games

How do you present 2 -3 year olds with collections of interesting objects for open-ended exploration, play and problem solving opportunities?

We have all arranged resources in beautiful baskets of different sizes to create an attractive display. How long does it last? Within 30 minutes the child with a transportation schema has tipped them all into a dolls pram or a wheeled suitcase and  the whole lot has disappeared. Another child will have taken the baskets and filled them with quantities of duplo, a doll wrapped in a cardigan or all the scissors!

I found the solution in the shape of a Pick and mix display unit. I used this supplier //www.luminati.co.uk/pick-and-mix-sweets-dispenser but there are others. You can research to get the best price. It is more difficult for a child to completely empty the compartments and they cannot remove them because they are too heavy and awkward. As a result it is easier to track down the missing items and replace them at the end of the session.

The different compartments can be filled with not only natural objects e.g. conkers, pine cones but also small boxes, serviette rings, lollipop sticks,  unwanted CDs, feathers, bottle tops, pegs pompoms, coasters, corks different lengths of ribbon, chenille stems, straws ……… etc, Your local scrap store and pound shops are a good source of treasures.

Adults can observe the children as they explore and investigate the resources and encourage the use of mathematical language- describing size order weight etc. Encourage sustained shared thinking by starting your interactions with  ‘ I wonder………’ to get them thinking,  counting, calculating, have awareness of shape and pattern , categorizing, comparing size and quantities ……. I wonder how many more pieces of ribbon you need to add to your snake to get it to reach the door?. …..etc.

A number line, lots of number cards for the children to play with , sand paper numerals can extend learning for those children who are interested in matching numerals to quantities. Why not make the number line interactive by adding talking points that say the number. The introduction of balance scales can add a new dimension to the play. Encouraging estimating, investigating, counting……..

Nearby would be a good place to put a transparent plastic jar with a sealed lid containing a quantity of objects for them too estimate how many it contains. Older children can write down their guesses throughout the week and then the jar’s contents can be counted with the children at the end of the week.

Interactive display board

You can use talking postcards or talking points to create challenges for children using sets of Velcro backed cards e.g. individual photos of the children in the group, photos/ pictures  of animals, insects vehicles, dinosaurs, TV  characters, toys etc. Questions appropriate to the current topic can be recorded and hand written, Can you find all the children with curly hair? …. All the animals with fur?…….. All the vehicles with 2 wheels? ….. All the toys with arms?……. 

A new question every day / every week can be recorder in the different languages used by the children and can encourage much discussion, problem solving, counting, calculating and categorizing. If you have an interactive whiteboard the possibilities are endless but otherwise velcro and a laminator will do the trick!

A copy of this article is available to download in our Early Years Numeracy Activities booklet.