Exploring Maths with Rocks

It is known that children learn best when they are having fun and are engaged in experiences that bring joy and ignite their interests. At Buckle My Shoe we connect different learning outcomes with a planned and emergent curriculum, to help our little learners achieve their potential. 😊

Today one of our wonderful kaiako invited our preschoolers to a counting experience – but with rocks! Our little ones were eager to find out more and as they moved closer, they noticed numbered cards were spread out. Each child was invited to spend time identifying the numbers they could see and then count out the rocks and place them in the corresponding columns. Of course, our little ones love the numbers associated with their age, so for many this was their favourite number and starting point. 🙌😊😍

During the process, our little ones worked together, showed perseverance and had discussions about their familiarity with these numbers. They also enjoyed using their fingers to explore the different shaped rocks, their colouring & size. They also focused grouping them by these similarities. Early mathematical concepts are not just about counting, but also include sequence, classification and patterns. Some of our little ones even practiced counting backwards! 👍

When they had successfully completed their cards, the look of joy and accomplishment on their faces was priceless. Ka Pai Tamariki!  Maybe next time we could extend the cards to 10? 🙌🎉😊