Mathematical Activities for Nursery and Reception

This resource pack, from Shropshire Centre for Mathematics Education, provides ideas for activities that can be offered on a repeatable basis to most students in Nursery and Reception classes. They engage students in experiences that will challenge them and develop their ability to think mathematically. Large numerals - arrange in order Ladybirds - sort according to different criteria Four in a line - take turns to place counters which form a line of four Logic teddy cards - sort according to different criteria Cuisenaire roads - complete pathways using rods Cover the squares - strategy game for two players Multilink track game - uses interlocking cubes in a variety of arrangements to cover squares Logic cards - can be sorted or used to play games Numerals 1 to 5 - different appearances, use to sort or place in lines 1 2 3 Logic shapes - introduces number as another attribute, use to sort or place in lines Logic people sets - a variety of attributes can be sorted by different criteria Hands/fingers dice cards - establishes 5 as an intermediate grouping 5 x 5 pattern board underlays - recall patterns from memory Logic people race game - move according to the value revealed by playing cards 1 2 3 Cover up - uses number cards to cover dots on a board Five circles - arrange 16 squares into five circles Logiblocs - used as markers for Venn or Carroll diagrams What's under the cloth? - remove covered objects to establish the number left Pelmanish cards - establish quantity and match pairs Pattern blocks - use to make patterns, pictures, outlines Fill in the shape - take turns with rods, specific targets can be set Teddies - sort or arrange in rows and columns Flapjacks - students match teacher's selection of faces Route tiles - form circuits, estates or letters Sticks - grouping activities Rods - identify a given rod, from a selection of three, by touch Partition boxes - drop beads through a hole to see how they land Clixi - build patterns in 2D and 3D Learning links - use colour to make repeating patterns Geoboards - make pictures or shapes with rubber bands Face tiles - make faces from 16 tiles What's in a square - box of 10 sets of cards to be sorted on a matrix