AIMS

1. To develop mathematical thinking and language via play activities. Mathematics begins with the children as the first resource.
2. Children will be introduced to early mathematical concepts.
3. They will engage in activities which are the preliminary to counting, and will be helped to an awareness of the number properties of sets.
4. They will learn the names of numbers from one - ten.
5. They will be helped to write the symbols of these numbers as they learn the names and properties. (This may/may not happen).
6. They will learn to recognise colours.

OBJECTIVES

1. To enable the children to follow directions and understand the position of objects.
Vocabulary : Beside, in, in front, on, one, position, behind, between, above, under, up, down, below, outside, inside, top, bottom, off, over.

2. To enable children to recognise objects that are alike.
Vocabulary : Like, alike, same, pair, match, different, shape, size, two, partner, twin.

3. To enable children to recognise differences between objects, in shape, colours and size.
Vocabulary : Different, difference between.

4. To enable children to understand the meaning of the word ‘opposite’.
Vocabulary : Opposite, in/out, long/short, closed/open, up/down, full/empty, front/back, big/little.

5. To enable the children to understand a one-to-one relationship.
Vocabulary : Belongs to, is holding.

6. To enable children to understand more complex relationships.
Vocabulary : Go together, belongs to, set.

7. To enable children to recognise sets with more members - Matching like and unlike sets to find out which has more (not greater than 5)

Vocabulary : Same, like, different, matches, more, less, fewer, same number, larger, smaller.

8. To enable the children to learn about order.
Vocabulary : First, second, last, next to, beside, behind, after, between, in front, middle, order.

9. To enable children to handle solid shapes and discover what they will do.
Vocabulary : Shape, flat, sides, edge, roll, slide, round, corner, square, rectangle, circle, triangle.

10. To enable children to recognise patterns and sequences in shape and colour.
Vocabulary : Pattern, same, between, first, next, cube, cuboid, cylinder, square, rectangle, triangle, circle.

11. To enable the children to compare two objects and say which is larger or smaller.
Vocabulary : Big, bigger, little, small, smaller, large, larger, too big, too small, the same size.

12. To enable the children to compare two objects and say which is taller/shorter/longer shorter.
Vocabulary : Tall, taller, short, shorter, high, higher, low, lower, same height, reach, long, longer, same length.

13. To enable the children to compare two objects and say which is heavier/lighter.

Vocabulary : Heavy, heavier, light, lighter, balance, weight.

14. To give the children experience in saying if a container holds more/less/same as another container.
Vocabulary : More, less, more than, less than, same, empty, full.

15. To enable the children to understand and experience time passing.
Vocabulary : Now, not now, today, after, before, long time, short time, slow, slower, slowly, fast, faster, quickly.

16. To enable children to compare distances and to gain a sense of location.
Vocabulary : Far, near, farther, nearer, close, straight, travel, backwards, forward, sideways, straight line.