Math in the Early Years

In her article, "How Learning Math Skills 'Fits' with Emergent Curriculum," which is included in the new Exchange Essential, Fostering Mathematical Concepts, Heather Brandon shares this story...

"As the children’s play moved away from fitting themselves and objects inside the boxes to building them upwards, we added ­ladders and step stools.  Likewise, as walls and enclosures became more elaborate, furniture had to be reorganized.  At least one adult was always close by, involved and supportive but not intruding on the children.  Box play was all-consuming, both indoors and out.  As educators we had no agenda but to engage our curiosity and see what happened.

"The children did some things we expected.  They pushed, pulled, stacked, jumped on, carved, and decorated the boxes.  They also engaged in nesting the smaller boxes inside the larger ones, built ‘towers’ all the way to the ceiling, and constructed ‘fences’ that divided the room in half.  They played at ­concealing and transporting all sorts and sizes of things.  We ­recognized that through these tasks the children were learning about balance, gravity, size and weight, and durability of materials, as well as collaboration."

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