Numeracy is one of the building blocks of education.
Toddlers, children and adults use numeracy in their everyday lives to do things like adding, counting and subtraction.
Getting started as early as possible is a great way to ensure that your little ones have the skills they need later in life.
Our numeracy toys help to guarantee your child is prepared for school years before they even step through the gates.
What is numeracy?
Numeracy is more than just being able to understand numbers. It involves problem-solving by looking at patterns and then using logic to solve those problems.
Through numeracy activities for toddlers, your little one will learn to:
- Solve problems.
- Understand time.
- Recognise patterns.
- Count.
- Interact with shapes.
Why is numeracy important?
Numeracy plays a significant role in a child’s early stage of development. Children between the ages of 1 and 5 years are exploring their environment and trying to understand what they find.
Numeracy also helps prepare toddlers for daycare and school.
Research shows that higher numeracy skills lead to higher levels of health and well-being and other benefits such as better decision making and financial independence.
These Numeracy skills can be developed through fun and engaging activities. Interacting through playtime is the best way for toddlers to learn. Below, you will see how our range of Australian-made maths toysteaches numeracy skills for toddlers.
Fun Numeracy Activities and Toys
There are many different categories when it comes to developing numeracy skills. So which activities and toys are suitable for your little ones?
We will dive into the best ways to develop numeracy skills for toddlers.
- Shapes & Measurement - One of the earliest skills to learn, as well as one that focuses on exploring. Playtime with sorting blocks demonstrates to toddlers how objects interact with each other.
- Number Sense - The groundwork for learning about numbers. A great starting point if you want to prepare your toddler for childcare. Learning with a movable number set is a fun way to help them practice as they play.
- Representation - How do things like time and money work? You can teach your toddler these valuable skills with time & money charts.
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Problem solve - Puzzle activities put the skills toddlers have learnt to practice. With fun numeracy activities like the space clock puzzle, they will learn to use logic to solve problems that will help them in later life.
Number Sets
Number sets are a great way to introduce your toddler to numbers and the foundations of numeracy. By having an activity that is both fun and stimulating, your child will be able to learn and retain numeracy skills faster and for much longer.
So how do number sets work?
Simple, interactive sets are the best, where toddlers can grab and move the numbers. This teaches them about patterns in numbers and, with your help, what each number means.
How exactly do number sets assist in numeracy development?
Number sets not only explain the order of numbers but also their patterns. By understanding numerical order and the changes made when adding, subtracting and multiplying, young children can understand the rules of numeracy.
Number sets and multiplication puzzles let your children explore numeracy by giving them the tools they need to work out their own calculations and, later on, help prepare them for childcare and school.
Number Puzzles
Number puzzles are a creative and colourful way of putting into practice the basics of numeracy. There are different levels of difficulty, depending on your child’s ability.
How do Number puzzles work?
Number puzzles build off of number set skills by showing how numbers interact with each other. A simple number puzzle can teach more advanced problems, like adding together or counting all the way to twenty.
They help by showing toddlers and children that numeracy is used to solve problems and how they can build their logic skills.
What they learn now will prepare them for school and help them later in everyday life.
Number Cards
Number cards are an interactive activity that engages you and your toddler. With colourful and bright visuals, your toddler will retain what they learn much more effectively.
Let them look and play. Activities like Count to 100 with First 100 puzzle cards help toddlers recognise patterns by playing and moving the cards, so they can see how the puzzles are solved.
So how do Number cards assist in numeracy learning?
Through supported play, your toddler will build confidence and be able to match cards, count, recognise shapes and figure out puzzles.
It's practice that makes perfect.
Some sets also include alphabet & counting puzzles, which give them valuable skills and improve hand-eye coordination.
Shop Our Range Of Numeracy Products Today
Teaching your toddler numeracy is fun and simple with our range of interactive and safe numeracy toys. All of them are Australian-made wooden designs that are easy to grab and play with, as well as giving your toddler the skills they need for later in life.
If you want to see more of our range, check our numeracy toys and see which toys are best by age group.
And remember, toddlers learn the best when they have fun through playtime.
