Children\'s Mathematics

Outside

The outside environment in a setting can promote children’s marks just as much as

inside. Here they can have the space and freedom to make large marks with an exciting

variety of tools. Large paintbrushes with water buckets provide a stimulating invitation

to paint on walls or large rolls of paper. Here children like to experiment with large

shapes and it is especially liberating for children who find finer pencil control difficult.

Teachers can set up a large chalking area either on the ground or on walls. One

nursery I worked in had a large piece of ground painted in black. They had also put

a border around the black square. It became one of the most popular outdoor activ-

ities. Easels with the usual painting tools are an ideal way to use outdoors and the

space to create. Children also like to use clipboards outside and the ‘office box’ can

also prove a useful addition to the outside area.

Labels and signs

If we think of the mathematical environment that is outside the setting in the real world,

then what we are trying to do is to bring that kind of mathematics into our setting.

Think of the labels that we see that are communicating mathematics, for example:

• 30 MPH


• OPEN AT 5 0’CLOCK


• BACK IN 5 MINUTES.

In the setting we want to reflect this variety of number signs: for example, ‘tidy up

time’ provides a good opportunity to use a sign.

A child can carry this sign around and depending on how much time you have,

you can alter the times. Often children will start making their own signs and a

culture of sign-making will follow.

Figure 8.14 Mark-making outside

5 MINUTES FOR TIDY UP TIME

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