Developing Play in the Maths Area
Ages 3-4
Prompts for Developing Play
As you interact with children, consider these points to help you develop their
learning and development as they play.
• Can they take part in finger rhymes with numbers up to 5?
• Do they recognise numbers of personal significance?
• Does the child notice changes of amounts in a group of up to three items?
• Can the child count numbers past 5?
• Can the child accurately count items up to 5?
• Can they recognise numerals up to 5?
• Do they know numbers identify how many are in a set?
• Can they represent numbers using their fingers or by making marks or
drawing pictures?
• Can they compare quantities using language, such as ‘more than’?
• Can they make comparisons between objects relating to size, length, weight
and capacity? For example, “That’s the tallest tower.”
• Can they talk about 2D and 3D shapes?
• Can they describe a route that is familiar to them?
• Does the child use positional language?
• Can they build with shapes, selecting the shapes appropriately to build, such
as flat surfaces or 3D shapes to match a roof?
• Is the child interested in patterns in their environment?
• Can they create or extend a simple repeating pattern?
• Can the child notice and correct an error in a repeating pattern?
• Can the child talk about a sequence of events using ‘first’, ‘next’, ‘then’?
Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning
Playing and Exploring
• Does the child initiate maths activities and use number
language spontaneously?
• Are they curious to count, compare or measure objects?
• Do they seek a challenge and try new mathematical activities?
• Do they show a ‘can do’ attitude?
Active Learning
• Does the child show a high level of interest or fascination in
mathematical activities?
• Does the child maintain focus on a mathematical task?
• Do they concentrate and pay attention to details?
• Do they persist, even when challenges occur?
• Do they take pride in their accomplishments and achievements?
Creating and Thinking Critically
• Does the child make links in their learning between different
counting tasks or shape activities?
• Can they find ways to solve a mathematical problem?
• Can they test their ideas and explain what they find out?
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• Does the child notice patterns in their experiences –
for example, different layouts of items having the
same amount?
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