How can I best support my child with maths at home?

[Eileen101]

My 5 year old is finishing reception as "emerging" in maths. I've asked the teacher what I can do differently with him and her answer was that she's not worried, but I am!
I'm hoping to do some maths games over the summer, but I'm unsure what.
My ideas so far:

1. Patterns with 'what comes next'
2. Lots of counting things
3. Recognizing numbers on the scales when we name.
4. Basic sums with counters etc

I'm trying to stay away from screens/apps

What else can I do that's pitched around reception/year 1?

One for the future - I highly recommend the "How to be good at maths" book by DK. It's absolutely amazing. I got it off eBay for DS as we struggled to explain the patterns (cheat shortcuts) in timestables and it's full of tips and tricks.

Personally, I have learnt SO much from the book - best thing we ever bought but definitely one to keep aside for a year or two.

It keeps maths fun and simple. And he's been at "Greater Depth" ever since we bought it in Year 2. He struggled beforehand. Sometimes he just reads it because it's so interesting!

Also 10 Minute Maths has been great and we've done it for every year.

DS had a supply teacher that binned his unfinished maths work because he was too slow and it destroyed his confidence in maths (another story!).

Anyway, these books have saved him and his confidence is great now and he's flourishing.

My DD is also in reception. I noticed a few months ago that she was struggling and I felt like she wouldn’t achieve “expected” so I enrolled her onto Kumon for both maths and English.

She has progressed so much since starting and she met all her reception targets. I honestly couldn’t recommend Kumon enough.

At this age, I just incorporate math in real life. Count stuff with him. Talk about different shapes in the house, outside, etc. Play with educational toys like abacus/learning clocks/ bricks/lego/numicon, etc.

I'm trying to stay away from screens/apps

We were totally opposite, and playing games did the massive positive on my dc, re reading/maths/science/art/music/etc.

The 'White Rose One Minute Maths' app is good. My reception age DD has it on her tablet, and does a bit most days as she sees it as a game! The top option is 'subitising', which is where they try to recognise how many dots they can see. It's a really good app, and only requires one minute of their attention if they just want to do one 'game'.

Sorry just read you're trying to avoid screens, but I really rate the one I just posted about! It has improved DD's skills hugely, and as it's so quick, they aren't spending much time in front of a screen at all. Screens can be very valuable for learning if used correctly.

Primary teacher with reception age child - absolutely no need to think about times tables. They need to know - how to recognise up to five objects without needing to count them, doubling and halving small numbers, recognise numbers to 10 and ideally beyond, add and subtract small sets. Begin to know number bonds for 10. Numicon is ideal for this and lots of schools use rekenreks - both available on Amazon (you only need a small set of numicon for home use). We play games like building 10 sandcastles on
the beach and knocking them down while saying how many are left, having 10 sweets and counting how many are left as she eats them, looking at door numbers for odd and even numbers, baking etc - just making maths talk part of your everyday chat will help.

Using chalk to write numbers on pavements and then they get a water pistol to shoot the number as you say it

Can progress to them shooting the answer to a basic sun but can't remember if that's a bit much for reception

I say this cautiously- but PLEASE don't make maths an issue for your kids. It's only one step from all this stuff to the depressingly prevalent "I'm no good at maths" mindset. Do some baking. Play some games like Dominos, card games, snakes and ladders. Play shops. Just normal stuff. It's so easy to transmit your anxiety to your child.