Early Development
The development of number sense at an early age is crucial for children to be able to understand mathematics in their later school years. Not only this but gaining an understanding of how simple numbers relate to each other, basic counting, addition and 'Subitising' will help your child's overall confidence. If you haven't heard of this word before, 'Subitising' is a great skill that we all develop without realising. It's when we look at a small number of objects (typically under 5) and very quickly realise how many there are without consciously counting!
Benefits of Recognising Numbers
Recognition of numbers is one of the primary skills your child can develop early on.
Many children, especially those with sensory needs, can have an obsession with letters and numbers. Ordering numbers, letters or even objects can be a calming and anxiety-relieving activity. If your child is having a sensory overload, this could be a useful calming strategy to explore.
Counting and Sorting Games
There are so many games, some very creative, that encourage counting. And what's best... they can be used both indoors and out!
One of the examples I love is so simple! Next time you're out in nature, such as the local park or woods, ask your child to find you four twigs, five leaves, six stones, one petal... (You get the idea!). This is a great way to develop your child's subsitising ability.
Now for those rainy days when you can't explore the outside world! Board games are a great way of helping your child to understand the relationship between smaller numbers, practice counting and learn simple addition.
There are also these incredible Wooden Colourful Cubes which are an excellent way to develop counting and basic number recognition. Going from 1 to 100, this beautiful wooden game also helps dexterity, concentration and problem-solving!