Maths play with natural loose parts

Boys making nature patterns

We are approaching the time of year in which nature generously replenishes its available loose parts. Leaves fall, acorns drop, seed pods form, and there is no end to the natural materials you can collect just in your garden.

“One area of early learning particularly suited for the use of these materials is maths,” writes Dorie Ranheim. “There is a myriad of questions that can be asked to guide children’s thinking. For example, What did we find the most of? Tell me about your stick. Can you find something longer? Which rock is heavier? Through these playful interactions, rich maths language flows and becomes part of the child’s vocabulary.

“You can also use loose parts to model mathematical skills like how to count acorns using one-to-one correspondence, how to create a pattern with autumn leaves, or how to measure by comparing two feathers. All of the foundational areas of early maths can be explored in a playful way using natural loose parts.” More ideas here.

Search our CPD online resources

Filter by topic or type