Eyfs Maths articles

It's well established that outdoor play is important for young learners and provides opportunities to develop physical, social, fine and gross motor skills. Our editor, Kate Morgan, has put together her top picks of outdoor toys. So get the kids outside, having fun and learning this summer. Let the games begin!

Fractions are a fundamental concept in primary maths, and they're all about sharing and dividing. Whether it's dividing a pizza into equal slices or sharing a bag of sweets between friends, fractions are a part of everyday life.

Function machines are versatile tools in the teaching of mathematics, helping children understand and explore a wide range of mathematical concepts in a fun and engaging way. From basic operations in Key Stage 1 to more complex functions in Upper Key Stage 2, function machines can help play a crucial role in developing children's mathematical understanding and skills.

Supporting children to develop their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) skills is becoming increasingly important. It’s a necessary element in children’s education but can be intimidating for many parents who may not know where to begin or how to help with their child’s STEM learning.

Looking for some quick and easy learning activities to do with your child? In our extract from Five Minute Mum: Time For School, parent and best-selling author Daisy Upton (AKA Five Minute Mum) introduces you to simple, fun five-minute games to support Reception and Key Stage 1 children through their first years at school.

Top up the resource bank and keep the kids busy at home with reading, puzzles, crafting, science and other screen-free activities. They're all available to download for free and you won't need any special equipment, so head off the "I'm bored!" moans and buy yourself a few moments of peace so you can get some of your own work done!

We've rounded up some of our favourite online resources to support your child's learning at home.

Primary teacher and parent Jennifer Smith shares six key areas and skills to work on at home with your Reception child, supporting what they're learning at school.

Bus stops, the grid method, number bonds… Maths in today’s classroom can seem undecipherable. We look at how things have changed since we were kids.

Looking for an engaging way to practise maths concepts and skills? Try a mathematical board game! Whether your child is learning about times tables or place value, addition or square roots, there's a family-friendly board game to try. Get ready to roll the dice...

Does your child dread their maths lessons and end up in tears over homework? We take a look at what’s going wrong, and how you can help.

Reference books and dictionaries offer us information that's accurate, well researched and beautifully presented and are invaluable when you're working on a homework project. From atlases to dictionaries and encyclopedias, we recommend some of the best English, maths, science, history and geography reference books for primary-school children.

Counting on fingers is an important maths tool in the early years of primary school, but is it something your child should outgrow? We look at the pros and cons of hands-on maths strategies.

Introduce ratio, pie charts, probability and even simplifying fractions to children with these brilliant maths story books, picture-book presentations of mathematical concepts that primary-school children will love.

Counting and sequencing numbers correctly is a big part of early maths. We've picked some brilliant mathematical story books to help support your child's learning at home with vibrant illustrations, memorable characters and great narratives.

Reception and KS1 children all learn cardinal and ordinal numbers. We explain how your child will be taught to count and sequence numbers correctly and suggest practical, fun activities you can try at home to support your child's early mathematical learning.

Children are expected to memorise a number of different number facts in primary school, including number bonds to 20 and the multiplication and division facts for the twelve times tables. We explain what number facts your child will be taught when and suggest easy ways to support their learning at home.

If you despair of the amount of time your child spends attached to their tablet, think again: games and apps are an important part of their learning journey, from pre-school to secondary school, and can help to improve problem-solving skills and communication, as well as boost motivation. Lucy Dimbylow finds out why gaming means learning in the twenty-first century.

Fancy a quick game of cards? Studies show cognitive benefits to play and card games teach children new strategies for using mathematical information, categorising patterns, sequencing and sorting. Last but not least, this is numeracy practice the whole family will enjoy (though things might get a bit competitive... beware!). Kate Yelland asked maths teachers and experts why sitting down with a pack of cards and a primary-school child is definitely playing your cards right.