10 Fun and Foundational Maths-Based Activities for Toddlers in Early Years Settings

Introducing toddlers to the world of maths doesn’t mean diving into numbers and equations. For young children, it’s all about exploration, pattern recognition, spatial awareness, and building early problem-solving skills.

In Early Years settings, these experiences lay the groundwork for more formal maths learning later on. Here are 7 engaging and developmentally appropriate maths-based activities for early years,  specifically designed for toddlers.

 

1. Sorting and Matching Objects

Toddlers love to group things together. This activity taps into early classification skills.

Equipment:

• Coloured blocks or objects
• Objects of different sizes or shapes
• Baskets or trays

How to:

1. Lay out various objects in a mixed pile.
2. Place empty baskets or trays nearby.
3. Encourage the children to sort the items by colour, shape, or size.

Developmental Benefits:

• Categorisation Skills: Children learn to identify similarities and differences between objects, an essential foundation for logical thinking and mathematical concepts.
• Comparison Skills: By sorting items based on their attributes, children develop the ability to notice and articulate differences and similarities, enhancing critical thinking and observational skills.
• Logical Thinking: As children sort and match items, they naturally begin forming simple rules or patterns, strengthening their early reasoning and logical thought processes.
• Fine Motor Development: Handling and sorting small objects supports the development of fine motor control, which is crucial for later skills like writing and precise manipulation.

 

2. Fill and Pour Station

This maths activity for early years children is a fantastic, sensory-rich way to explore volume, capacity, and measurement.

Equipment:

• Water or sand
• Jugs, cups, spoons, funnels
• Tubs or trays

How to:

1. Fill a large container with sand or water.
2. Add various scooping and pouring tools.
3. Model how to scoop and pour, then let the children explore freely.

Developmental Benefits:

• Concepts of More/Less: Toddlers begin to understand quantity through practical experimentation, helping them grasp early mathematical concepts such as comparing amounts and volumes.
• Understanding Full/Empty: Through repeated filling and emptying of containers, children develop an intuitive sense of capacity, volume, and spatial reasoning, essential for later mathematical learning.
• Problem-Solving Skills: As children experiment with various tools, they encounter natural challenges (such as spilling or controlling the flow), prompting simple problem-solving strategies and critical thinking.
• Attention and Concentration: The engaging and exploratory nature of pouring and scooping activities helps children focus their attention, thereby building their concentration and persistence during play.

 

3. Shape Hunt

Encourage shape recognition with an engaging treasure hunt.

Equipment:

• Printed or cut-out shapes
• Blue tack or tape

How to:

1. Hide shapes around the room at toddler height.
2. Give children simple shape cards to match.
3. Go on a shape hunt and stick the shapes onto the cards.

Developmental Benefits:

• Shape Recognition: Toddlers actively identify and match shapes, which strengthens their ability to recognise geometric forms, laying the groundwork for future mathematical skills.
• Visual Recognition: Searching and matching shapes promotes visual perception and discrimination skills, enabling children to distinguish subtle differences and similarities among objects in their environment.
• Memory and Recall: As toddlers remember the shapes they’re looking for, they practice memory and recall skills, enhancing cognitive development through play.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Navigating and locating hidden shapes encourages children to think critically, apply simple strategies, and overcome minor challenges independently, boosting confidence and resilience.

 

4. Number Songs with Props

Songs are a great way to introduce sequencing and counting.

Equipment:

• Props (e.g., five little ducks, speckled frogs, toy buses)
• Song lyrics printed or displayed

How to:

1. Choose a counting song and gather props.
2. Sing with the children, using the props to act out each number.
3. Encourage participation and counting aloud.

Developmental Benefits:

• Number Sequencing: Using songs paired with props helps children understand numerical order, reinforcing the natural progression of numbers and early counting skills through rhythm and repetition.
• Memory Development: Singing repetitive number songs supports memory skills, encouraging toddlers to recall sequences, lyrics, and numerical patterns, thus enhancing cognitive development.
• Concrete Understanding of Abstract Concepts: Props make numbers tangible, allowing toddlers to visualise and physically interact with abstract mathematical ideas, making concepts like counting more accessible and meaningful.
• Listening and Attention Skills: Singing number songs requires children to pay attention to cues and follow along, supporting their auditory processing abilities, attention span, and overall concentration.

 

5. Rolling Patterns with Cars

This activity introduces early pattern recognition using movement.

Equipment:

• Toy cars
• Paint
• Long paper roll

How to:

1. Dip toy cars’ wheels into different paint colours.
2. Roll them across paper to make tracks.
3. Talk about the patterns and colours made.

Developmental Benefits:

• Pattern Observation: Toddlers learn to recognise and discuss repeating patterns, colours, and tracks, which strengthens early mathematical skills related to sequencing and predicting outcomes.
• Cause and Effect Understanding: As children observe how their actions (rolling cars in paint) produce visible results (paint tracks), they grasp the relationship between actions and consequences, building foundational cognitive skills.
• Colour Recognition and Language: Describing the colours, patterns, and tracks made by cars expands toddlers’ vocabulary and strengthens their ability to articulate visual experiences clearly.
• Creativity: The freedom to experiment with colours, paths, and designs encourages toddlers’ imagination, allowing them to express themselves artistically and creatively in a playful setting.

 

6. Posting and Sorting Games

This maths-based activity is great for practising hand-eye coordination and sorting by various attributes.

Equipment:

• DIY post boxes (e.g., tissue boxes)
• Coloured shapes or objects

How to:

1. Create slots in boxes for different colours or shapes.
2. Provide matching items to post.
3. Encourage toddlers to post items into the correct slots.

Developmental Benefits:

• Sorting and Matching: Toddlers practice recognising similarities and differences between shapes or colours, enhancing their early logical and reasoning skills, foundational for later mathematical understanding.
• Categorisation: Posting items according to shape or colour helps toddlers learn to group objects based on shared attributes, building foundational cognitive skills related to classifying and organising information.
• Hand-eye Coordination: Aligning objects with slots improves toddlers’ visual-motor integration, enabling them to coordinate their sight and hand movements more effectively.
• Problem-solving Skills: Toddlers encounter natural challenges, such as figuring out how to fit objects into specific slots, enhancing their ability to experiment, adjust, and think critically.

 

7. Measuring Feet and Hands

This activity is a playful way to explore measurement and size.

Equipment:

• Tape measure or non-standard units (blocks, string)
• Paper and pens

How to:

1. Trace around children’s hands or feet.
2. Measure the outlines using blocks or string.
3. Compare sizes together.

Developmental Benefits:

• Measurement Concepts: Toddlers begin exploring foundational measurement skills by comparing sizes and lengths using simple, relatable methods, setting the stage for future mathematical understanding.
• Comparison Skills: Measuring and comparing hands and feet encourages toddlers to identify similarities and differences, enhancing their observational skills and cognitive abilities related to categorisation.
• Numeracy Skills: Counting blocks or lengths of string introduces toddlers to basic counting and numerical awareness, making mathematical concepts practical, relatable, and fun.
• Self-awareness: By tracing and measuring their own hands and feet, toddlers develop body awareness and begin recognising their uniqueness, fostering a positive sense of identity.

 

Sharing Learning Experiences with Parents

Maths activities for early years is all about hands-on, meaningful experiences that connect with toddlers’ everyday play and exploration. These foundational activities not only build early numeracy skills but also enhance physical, social, and language development.

 

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