Maths in the early years and making it fun

As their child’s first teacher, families can help play a key role in developing the maths skills of children in early life. Developing maths skills early in life gives children an important foundation for their learning and development.

Why numeracy is important

Numeracy is more than numbers. For example, numeracy helps us:

• understand and use numbers and other mathematical ideas in everyday life
• recognise and use shape
• work out the chance of something happening
• understand the data we see in the media.

Numeracy is necessary for everyday living. From daily activities like telling the time, cooking and setting the table to more difficult tasks such as understanding mobile phone plans, planning a trip, reading a map and understanding timetables.

As children and young people move through life stages the everyday numeracy demands become more complex.

Employers see numeracy as important in the workplace. Research shows that higher numeracy skills lead to higher levels of health and wellbeing and other benefits such as better decision making and financial independence.

Article from: www.education.vic.gov. au/