From counting to confidence: how early maths unlocks life-long learning and success

Give your child the best chance for success with a high-quality early maths education. Learn why early maths is so important and discover tips on how to support learning at home.

At Birchwood Tutors, we wholeheartedly believe in the importance of nurturing maths skills and building confidence, which is what we aim to do with our world class tuition (from anywhere). As a teacher, tutor, and parent of young children myself, I have witnessed the benefits of a solid start in early maths at all stages. 

Why is early maths so important for our children, and how can you as a parent support your child? In this post, we’ll explore all this and more to help you make informed and evidence-backed choices to help your child achieve success.

Maths learning teaches the language of thinking

Early maths is so much more than learning to recognise numbers and count to ten; the transferable skills learned during this period contribute to a wider way of life-long thinking. Here are just some of the important skills that learners develop during this key stage of their learning:

• Pattern recognition, categorisation, and sequencing 

• Problem-solving, critical thinking, and resilience 

• Spatial awareness, including developing fine and gross motor skills

• Number sense

All of these skills contribute to learners’ ability to approach problems with a ‘have-a-go’ attitude – something that they can apply in learning across all subjects as they progress. 

Early maths predicts future success

One of the most compelling arguments for why early maths is so important is the clear link it has to academic success. Numerous pieces of research have found that children who have a positive early maths experience go on to be high achievers. These children tend to have substantially higher levels of attainment by the age of 11.

For families aiming for selective schools, this is an important consideration. Many of the entrance exams for these establishments test beyond simple recall– they assess maths fluency, which is how naturally children can apply their skills, in addition to problem-solving and reasoning skills. A strong start in early maths ensures you, as a student, not only keep up, but stand out as you achieve your academic goals.

Maths experiences early on will build confidence

Confidence is key in your child’s academic journey, but unfortunately, maths is the subject where many students find it lacking! Introducing maths early with your child is a superb way to help them develop a positive and resilient relationship with the subject before any fears or self-doubt creep in. 

Being able to tackle problems one step at a time and understanding that mistakes are all part of the learning process is key to developing confidence in maths. The play-based approach of an early maths education supports this process as learners are having fun, thus motivated to keep trying without too much pressure or expectation. 

Strong maths skills prepare children for a STEM-driven world

The World Economic Forum predict that by 2030, 14% of jobs will be new job types and 8% of current jobs will no longer exist. That’s a transformation of 22% of today’s jobs in just five years. The number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) jobs is growing twice as fast as non-STEM careers currently, meaning that it’s likely many of these new job types will be STEM-aligned. 

The mastery of fundamental maths skills early on allows learners to engage with more complex topics like algebra, statistics, or coding, more confidently in the future. In short, early maths is not just about excelling at school! A quality early maths education equips your child with skills essential for future endeavours, helping them to position themselves well in university and for the future workforce.

How to nurture early maths at home

Having a 4-year-old at home myself, I am constantly looking for ways to develop his early maths skills and confidence. Here are a few ways that I’ve made maths a part of our daily routine without it feeling like one more thing on the to-do list:

• Cooking or baking together: Measuring out the ingredients, reading the numbers on the recipe, and counting the spoonfuls into the bowl are all simple starting points. 

• Every day counting: Counting steps as we go up or down them, the number of times I push the swing in the park, or how many cars are parked on the street.

• Numbers in the environment: Looking out for numbers when we are out (e.g. house numbers, numbers on a bus, and price tags in the shops), saying the number aloud, and discussing what the number is there to tell us. 

• Using maths language: There are countless opportunities to use maths language during playtime, such as “bigger”, “smaller”, “taller”, “shorter, “more than”, “less than”.

My final thoughts

Do not underestimate the power of early maths! You are not just preparing your child for the SATs or even their A-levels, you’re laying the groundwork for how they’ll approach challenges, how they’ll think around a problem, and their whole attitude to learning.

If you are unsure where to start with your child’s early maths journey or simply would like your child to have some additional support to help them get ahead, a tutor is a fantastic place to start. If you are curious about how Birchwood Tutors can support your preschool child with their early maths skills, contact us to learn more.