CAROL VORDERMAN
1Minutes
Maths Made Easy
Ages
3–5
A Day
Maths
Author Deborah Lock
Consultant Sean McArdle
10-minute challenge
Try to complete the exercises for each topic
in 10 minutes or less. Note the time it takes
you in the “Time taken” column below.
Contents
DK London
Editor Elizabeth Blakemore
Senior Editor Deborah Lock
Managing Editor Christine Stroyan
Managing Art Editor Anna Hall
Maths Consultant Sean McArdle
Senior Production Editor Andy Hilliard
Senior Production Controller Jude Crozier
Jacket Design Development Manager Sophia MTT
Publisher Andrew Macintyre
Associate Publishing Director Liz Wheeler
Art Director Karen Self
Publishing Director Jonathan Metcalf
4
Animal families
6
Flower patterns
8
Fun and games
10
Getting dressed
12
Feeding time
14
Plant shapes
16
At the shops
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or
introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form,
or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise), without the prior written
permission of the copyright owner.
18
In the bedroom
A CIP catalogue record for this book
is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 978-0-2414-6684-1
20
All about me
22
Animal homes
DK Delhi
Senior Editor Rupa Rao
Designers Priyabrata Roy Chowdhury, Anuj Sharma,
Aanchal Singal, Priyanka Singh
Managing Editors Soma B. Chowdhury, Kingshuk Ghoshal
Managing Art Editor Govind Mittal
DTP Designers Anita Yadav, Rakesh Kumar,
Harish Aggarwal
Senior Jacket Designer Suhita Dharamjit
Jackets Editorial Coordinator Priyanka Sharma
This edition published in 2020
First published in Great Britain in 2013 by
Dorling Kindersley Limited
One Embassy Gardens, 8 Viaduct Gardens,
London, SW11 7BW
Copyright © 2013, 2020 Dorling Kindersley Limited
A Penguin Random House Company
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
001-321649-Apr/2020
Printed and bound in the UK
All images © Dorling Kindersley.
For further information see: www.dkimages.com
For the curious
www.dk.com
Time taken
Time filler:
In these boxes are some extra challenges to
extend your skills. You can do them if you have
some time left after finishing the questions. Or
these can be stand-alone activities that you can
do in 10 minutes.
24
Tree tops
46
All about me
26
Jobs people do
48
Animal faces
28
In the kitchen
50
Plant care
30
Animal moves
52
Sports
32
Pick and mix
54
At home
34
On the move
56
Animal sizes
36
Meal times
58
Seasons
38
Animal patterns
60
At the beach
40
Seed shapes
62
Bedtime
42
In the park
64
All about me
44
Toys and games
66
Parents’ notes
and answers
4
Animal families
Baby animals have special
names such as cub and chick.
How many do you know?
Draw the lines
from the babies
to their parents.
Puppy
Sheep
Kitten
Cow
Chick
Dog
Lamb
Hen
Calf
Cat
5
Time filler:
Which is your favourite animal?
Ask an adult to help you find out
what its babies are called.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Count how many
babies there are.
fawn
cubs
cubs
ducklings
6
Flower patterns
Flowers are very pretty to
look at. They can be found
in all shapes and colours.
Connect the dots from 1 to 10.
1
9
10
2
8
3
4
7
6
5
7
Time filler:
Go for a walk to look at flowers.
What colours are they? How many
petals do they have? Do they smell?
Read the labels. Colour the flowers using the right colour.
A red flower
A blue flower
A yellow flower
A pink flower
8
Fun and games
What do you like to do with
your friends? On this page are
some of the things you may use.
What comes next?
Continue the pattern.
9
Time filler:
Can you throw a ball into
the air and catch it? How
many times can you do this
in 10 minutes?
Draw and colour the same picture.
10
Getting dressed
What clothes are you wearing
today? We have different
clothes for when it is hot or cold.
In each row, circle
the odd one out.
11
Time filler:
Look inside your wardrobe.
What colour are your clothes?
Do any have zips or buttons?
Draw lines to match
the shoes.
12
Feeding time
Most animals either eat
plants or other animals.
Draw a line from the
animal to its food.
13
Time filler:
Put out some bread or nuts for
the birds. Find out the names
of the birds that come to eat.
The zoo-keeper has some fish
for the penguins. Show the
path he takes to get to them.
14
Plant shapes
Look to find the plants that
are different or the same.
Circle the odd
one out.
15
Time filler:
How many different leaves can
you find outside in 10 minutes?
Put on your outdoor shoes and
then start looking.
Match the leaves that
are the same shape.
16
At the shops
Do you help put the
things to buy in
the shopping basket?
Tick (✔) the pictures that
show something is inside.
✔
17
Time filler:
Help an adult write a shopping
list. Draw pictures of what they
need to buy.
Circle three things you
would buy for a party.
18
In the bedroom
What is the best thing
in your bedroom?
Finish the picture.
Draw a teddy bear on the bed.
Draw some open curtains.
Draw a book on top of the bookcase.
Draw a picture above the bed.
19
Time filler:
Can you find something in your
bedroom beginning with each letter
of the alphabet? a b c d e f g h i j
k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z.
Let us tidy up! Draw a line to link where the things should be
put away.
20
All about me
Hello! These pages are
all about you.
Draw you and your family.
Fill in the sentences. Ask an adult to help you.
My name is
I am
My birthday is on
years old.
21
Time filler:
With an adult, look at some photos
of you and your family. Start a poster
titled “All About Me”. Stick down
some copies of these photographs.
Draw your home.
How many people live in your house?
What shape are the windows? Tick (✔) the answer.
Circle
Rectangle
Square
22
Animal homes
Animals have safe, warm
homes just like us.
Lead the animals to their
homes. Follow the lines
with a pencil.
23
Time filler:
What is your favourite animal?
Ask an adult to help you find
out what its home is called.
Count the animals
in their homes.
birds
bear
rabbits
pigs
24
Tree tops
Trees can grow into all
different shapes and sizes.
How many do you know?
Circle the tallest.
Circle the widest.
Circle the smallest.
25
Time filler:
Go outside and try some bark
rubbing on different tree trunks.
You will need some pieces of
paper and some wax crayons.
Draw the right number of apples
on each tree.
This tree has 3 apples.
This tree has 5 apples.
This tree has 2 apples.
This tree has 8 apples.
26
Jobs people do
People do all sorts of jobs.
They have special tools
to use.
Draw a line
from the tool
to the person.
27
Time filler:
What job would you like to do
when you are grown up? Find
out what things you would use.
Join the dots from 1 to 10.
1
2
3
4
10
9
8
7
5
6
28
In the kitchen
The kitchen is where food
is kept and cooked. What
happens in your kitchen?
Draw lines to put away the
shopping in the right place.
BEANS
JAM
29
Time filler:
Ask an adult to help you draw
a plan of your kitchen. Where
is the table? Where is the fridge
and the sink?
Match the objects
that are the same.
30
Animal moves
Animals move in many
different ways. Some are
quick and others are slow.
Continue the lines
to show how the
animal moves.
31
Time filler:
Can you move like an animal? Can
you slither like a snake, hop like a
rabbit, or leap like a frog? Which
animal move do you like best?
Draw the legs onto each body to match.
32
Pick and mix
Fruits and vegetables
are different colours,
shapes, and sizes.
What comes next?
Continue the pattern.
33
Time filler:
Ask an adult for some fruits
and vegetables. Look at and
touch each one. What colour
is it? Does it feel soft or hard?
Pick the fruits and vegetables.
Cross (x) them out.
Cross out 2 cabbages. How many are left?
cabbages
Cross out 3 pears.
How many are left?
pears
Cross out 5 tomatoes.
How many are left?
tomatoes
Cross out 4 oranges.
How many are left?
oranges
34
On the move
There are many ways
to travel. Which way
do you like best?
Colour the vehicles.
Car = red
Bicycle = green
Lorry = blue
Bus = yellow
35
Time filler:
Go for a walk. Which vehicles
do you see the most?
The lorry is making a delivery to the shop.
Show the way to get there.
SHOP
36
Meal times
What is your
favourite meal?
Circle the things you
would have for breakfast.
L
CE
A
RE
K
MIL
37
Time filler:
Help an adult lay the table
for a meal. Where do the
knife, spoon, and fork go?
Pick the food and drinks. Cross (x) them out.
Cross out 2 bottles of juice.
How many are left?
bottles of juice
Cross out 3 bananas.
How many are left?
bananas
Cross out 4 cartons of milk.
How many are left?
K
MIL
K
MIL
K
MIL
Cross out 5 ice creams.
How many are left?
ice cream
K
MIL
cartons of milk
38
Animal patterns
Animals have colourful coats.
Some have patterns such as
spots, stripes, and patches.
Circle the odd one out.
39
Time filler:
Look at some pictures of animals.
What are the colours and patterns
on their coats?
Draw the other half of this butterfly to match.
40
Seed shapes
Many plants grow from
seeds. Seeds are all
different shapes and sizes.
Draw lines to match
the seeds.
41
Time filler:
Cut open some fruit and look at
the seeds. Place them in order of
size from the smallest to the largest.
Circle the smallest seeds.
Circle the youngest plant.
Circle the most seeds.
42
In the park
What do you
do in the park?
Connect the dots from 1 to 10.
1
10
2
9
8
3
4
5
7
6
43
Time filler:
Go to a park. Try to have a
go at everything in 10 minutes.
Ask an adult to tell you when
the time is up.
Colour the picture.
1 = red
2 = green
3 = yellow
4 = blue
3
4
2
1
44
Toys and games
What is your favourite toy?
How long have you had it?
Some of these toys have wheels
and others do not. Draw lines to
put the toys in the correct set.
Has wheels
No
wheels
No wheels
45
Time filler:
Choose a card or board game.
Play the game with an adult for
at least 10 minutes.
Draw the same picture.
1
2
3
6
1
5
2
4
3
46
All about me
Look in a mirror. What
do you look like?
Draw and colour a picture of your face.
Fill in these sentences. Ask an adult to help you.
The colour of my eyes is
The colour of my hair is
My height is
(Use a measuring tape.)
47
Time filler:
Ask an adult to take some photos of
you close up, from a distance, and in
different poses. Add the photographs
to your poster (see page 21).
Draw a line from the
words to the body part.
Ear
Chest
Ear
Nose
Arm
Hand
Leg
Foot
How many ears do you have?
How many toes do you have?
48
Animal faces
All animal faces
look different.
Take a close look.
Draw two wide eyes
on the owl.
Draw some large
ears on the rabbit.
Draw a long trunk
on the elephant.
Draw some sharp
teeth on the crocodile.
49
Time filler:
Make an animal mask. Draw an
animal face onto a paper plate.
Ask an adult to cut out the eyes.
Draw the other half of the lion.
50
Plant care
Do you like gardening?
Some plants need extra
care to grow.
Circle the odd
one out.
51
Time filler:
Ask an adult to buy some sunflower
seeds. Follow the instructions to plant
the seeds in a pot of soil. Put them in
a sunny place. Watch them grow.
Remember to water them.
Tick (✔) the three things a plant needs to grow.
52
Sports
How high can you jump?
How fast can you run?
Sports keep us healthy.
Continue the lines
to show what the
person is doing.
1.
2.
3.
4.
53
Time filler:
Ask an adult to help you set up an
obstacle course. You can jump, run,
and hop. Use hoops to climb through
and balls to roll. How many times
can you go around in 10 minutes?
Who is using this equipment? Draw a line.
54
At home
How many rooms
are in your house?
Match the pictures that
are the same. Draw a line.
10
11
12
1
2
3
9
8
10
11
12
1
2
3
9
8
4
7
6
5
4
7
6
5
55
Time filler:
Can you find something in your
house beginning with each letter of
the alphabet? a b c d e f g h i j k l
m n o p q r s t u v w x y z.
Count the objects.
Fill in the boxes.
chairs
television
books
crayons
56
Animal sizes
Did you know that the
largest animal ever is
the blue whale?
Circle the biggest.
Circle the tallest.
Circle the heaviest.
57
Time filler:
Draw a picture of a zoo.
What animals would you
like in your zoo?
Put these animals in size order 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Start
with the smallest. Write your answers in the ribbons.
58
Seasons
The four seasons
are spring, summer,
autumn, and winter.
Finish colouring the pictures.
Winter
Spring
Colour the branches brown.
Colour the flowers pink.
Summer
Autumn
Colour the leaves green.
Colour the leaves orange.
59
Time filler:
What season is it now? Look
at the plants. Do they have
buds or flowers? What colour
are the leaves?
Follow the line from the
word to its picture.
Snowy
Sunny
Stormy
Rainy
Cloudy
Snowy
60
At the beach
Have you been to a sandy
beach? What did you do?
Circle the things you would take to the beach.
61
Time filler:
What might you find on a beach?
Can you name 10 things?
Finish the picture.
Draw a ball in front of the beach umbrella.
Draw a bucket behind the spade.
Draw the sun up in the sky.
Draw a towel on the sand.
Draw a flag on top of the sandcastle.
62
Bedtime
What do you do before going
to bed? Do you tidy away
toys and brush your teeth?
What comes next?
Continue the pattern.
63
Time filler:
Go outside when it is night with
an adult. Is the moon out? What
shape is the moon? Point out the
stars that are the brightest.
Tell the story.
1.
2.
3.
4.
How many books can you see in these pictures?
What colour are the girl’s pyjamas?
64
All about me
What can you do and what
do you like doing best?
Draw and colour a picture of what you like doing best.
Fill in the sentence. Ask an adult to help.
Best of all, I like
Have a go at these. Tick (✔) when you have done them.
Can you jump 10 times?
Can you hop five times?
Can you sing two songs?
65
Time filler:
Ask an adult to take some photos
of you doing your favourite things.
Add the photographs to your
poster: All about me.
Draw and colour a picture of you and your friends
playing together.
How many friends are there in your picture?
How many are boys?
How many are girls?
66
Answers:
4–5 Animal families
6–7 Flower patterns
4
5
Animal families
Time filler:
Which is your favourite animal?
Ask an adult to help you find out
what its babies are called.
Baby animals have special
names such as cub and chick.
How many do you know?
4
Draw the lines
from the babies
to their parents.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Count how many
babies there are.
Puppy
Sheep
Kitten
Cow
Chick
Dog
Lamb
Hen
1
fawn
3
cubs
5
2
4
Calf
ducklings
Cat
6
7
Flower patterns
Discuss the sizes of theTime
babies
and animals and see
filler:
Go for
a walk to look
at flowers.
if they can spot any other
differences.
When
counting,
What colours are they? How many
encourage your child topetals
put do
a they
finger
on
each
animal
have? Do
they smell?
as they count it.
A child learns through fun activities so this book
encourages a mixture of practical and hands-on
Flowers
are veryWords
prettyare
to look
They
learning
experiences.
used at.
throughout
can so
beyour
found
in may
all shapes
andreading.
colours.
the book
child
need help
6
cubs
Connect the dots from 1 to 10.
Read the labels. Colour the flowers using the right colour.
1
9
10
2
8
A red flower
A blue flower
A yellow flower
A pink flower
3
4
7
6
5
Dot-to-dot activities help to practise the order of numbers
from 1–10. Encourage your child to identify the colours
red, blue, yellow, and pink in their environment. To help
your child read the word of the colour, make a label and
attach it to an object of that colour.
7
67
Answers:
8–9 Fun and games
10–11 Getting dressed
8
9
Fun and games
Time filler:
Can you throw a ball into
the air and catch it? How
many times can you do this
in 10 minutes?
What do you like to do with your friends? On
this page are some of the things you may use.
8
What comes next?
Continue the pattern.
Draw and colour the same picture.
10
Getting dressed
Recognizing and creating patterns is both fun and an
important aspect of a child’s development. Make your own
What
clothes
are beads,
you wearing
Weand then
patterns
using
buttons,
or eventoday?
small toys
have different
clothes
forand
when
it is
hot or
cold.
encourage
your child
to copy
then
make
their
own.
10
In each row, circle
the odd one out.
Your child has to choose the item of clothing that is not the
same. This helps them to focus on looking at ways things
can be different by shape or by colour. Play matching
9
11
Timeand
filler:
Talk about things that match
are the same. This will
inside your wardrobe.
help develop their skills Look
of observation.
What colour are your clothes?
Do any have zips or buttons?
Draw lines to match
the shoes.
games such as Snap with your child. These observation
skills are helpful not only in maths but also in early reading
to differentiate the shapes of letters.
11
68
Answers:
12–13 Feeding time
14–15 Plant shapes
12
13
Feeding time
Time filler:
Put out some bread or nuts for
the birds. Find out the names
of the birds that come to eat.
Most animals either eat plants
or other animals.
12
Draw a line from the
animal to its food.
The zoo-keeper has some fish
for the penguins. Show the
path he takes to get to them.
14
13
15
Plant shapes
Time filler:
Talk with your child as she/he
moves her/his finger
Making connections and putting things into categories
many
different
leaves can sideways,
around the maze, usingHow
terms
such
as forwards,
helps to make sorting meaningful and useful in everyday
you find outside in 10 minutes?
Look toare
find
plants
that are different
life. Mazes
a the
fun way
to encourage
your child to grasp and downwards.
Put on your outdoor shoes and
same.
then start looking.
bothor
thethe
idea
of direction and the awareness of space.
14
Circle the odd
one out.
Discuss with your child the differences she/he can spot on
this page, such as different shapes, colours, and numbers
of things. Encourage your child to notice the small
Match the leaves that
are the same shape.
differences when looking at the collection of leaves:
some may be pointed, others round, some rough, and
others smooth.
15
69
Answers:
16–17 At the shops
18–19 In the bedroom
16
17
At the shops
Time filler:
Help an adult write a shopping
list. Draw pictures of what they
need to buy.
Do you help put the things to buy
in the shopping basket?
16
Tick (✔) the pictures that
show something is inside.
✔
Circle three things you
would buy for a party.
17
✔
✔
✔
✔
18
In the bedroom
Positional words and their meaning is an important part
of your child’s language. Talk with your child about the
Whatofisinside
the best
your
meaning
and thing
outsideinand
seebedroom?
if she/he can
19
Time things
filler: into categories is
give other examples. Sorting
you find something in your
encouraged here with aCan
practical
example. Discuss
bedroom beginning with each letter
what else may be bought
foralphabet?
a party.a b c d e f g h i j
of the
k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z.
18
Finish the picture.
Let us tidy up! Draw a line to link where the things should be
put away.
Draw a teddy bear on the bed.
Draw some open curtains.
Draw a book on top of the bookcase.
Draw a picture above the bed.
Here are some more positional words that are useful for
your child to know: on, open, top, and above. Discuss
with her/him the words that mean the opposite: off,
closed, bottom, and below. Putting items into their right
place develops skills of sorting, place, and position.
19
70
Answers:
22–23 Animal homes
24–55 Tree tops
22
23
Animal homes
Time filler:
What is your favourite animal?
Ask an adult to help you find
out what its home is called.
Animals have safe, warm homes just like us.
22
Lead the animals to their
homes. Follow the lines
with a pencil.
Count the animals
in their homes.
23
3
birds
1
bear
5
rabbits
2
pigs
24
Tree tops
This page develops pencil control, eye- and
hand- coordination, and builds up concentration,
Trees
growskills
intoinall
different
shapes
which
are can
all useful
Maths
to write
numbers,
and sizes. How many do you know?
24
Circle the tallest.
25
Time
filler: data. Offer your child
coordinate movement, and
analyse
Go outside and try some bark
plenty of praise and encouragement
as she/he works
rubbing on different tree trunks.
through the pages.
You will need some pieces of
paper and some wax crayons.
Draw the right number of apples
on each tree.
Circle the widest.
This tree has 3 apples.
This tree has 5 apples.
This tree has 2 apples.
This tree has 8 apples.
Circle the smallest.
Here are some further words used to compare size.
If your child is struggling to spot the difference, then
talk about the activity first. If your child needs practical
support for counting, then provide her/him with counters or
a number line from 0 to 10.
25
71
Answers:
26–27 Jobs people do
28–29 In the kitchen
26
27
Jobs people do
Time filler:
What job would you like to do
when you are grown up? Find
out what things you would use.
People do all sorts of jobs. They have
special tools to use.
26
Draw a line
from the tool
to the person.
Join the dots from 1 to 10.
27
1
2
3
4
10
9
8
7
5
6
28
29
In the kitchen
Before beginning this page, talk about the jobs people do
and the sort of tools and equipment they need. Check that
The kitchen
is where
is kept and
your child
can recognise
thefood
jobs shown:
builder, doctor,
cooked. What happens in your kitchen?
28
Draw lines to put away the
shopping in the right place.
fire fighter, baker, and painter.
Later, your child’s
Time filler:
Ask an
adult
help you
draw
matching and sorting skills
will
betoused
to put
a plan of your kitchen. Where
numbers and items into issets.
the table? Where is the fridge
and the sink?
Match the objects
that are the same.
BEANS
JAM
These activities continue to develop sorting and matching
skills. The time filler challenge encourages your child to
think of positions of things in relation to each other. Is
the sink to the left, right, or in front of a table? As you
help your child draw the plan, encourage her/him to
use positional words.
29
72
Answers:
30–31 Animal moves
32–33 Pick and mix
30
31
Animal moves
Time filler:
Can you move like an animal? Can
you slither like a snake, hop like a
rabbit, or leap like a frog? Which
animal move do you like best?
Animals move in many different ways.
Some are quick and others are slow.
30
Continue the lines
to show how the
animal moves.
Draw the legs onto each body to match.
31
32
Pick and mix
Talk with your child about the shapes that the movement
of animals make, using shape language such as curve,
Fruits
and
vegetables
are of
different
straight,
and
round.
The number
animal legs is a fun
33
filler:
example of counting as Time
well as
making some useful
Ask an adult for some fruits
observations about the differences
between animals.
and vegetables. Look at and
touch each one. What colour
is it? Does it feel soft or hard?
colours, shapes, and sizes.
32
What comes next?
Continue the pattern.
Pick the fruits and vegetables.
Cross (x) them out.
Cross out 2 cabbages. How many are left?
33
3
cabbages
Cross out 3 pears.
How many are left?
4
pears
Cross out 5 tomatoes.
How many are left?
5
tomatoes
Cross out 4 oranges.
How many are left?
4
Encourage your child to think not only about what comes
next in the pattern but also what comes after that. Can
they keep going with the sequence of three at the bottom
of the page? The activity on page 33 introduces the idea
oranges
of subtraction or counting back. Discuss with your
child how many items there are to begin with before
crossing out.
73
Answers:
34–35 On the move
36–37 Meal times
34
35
On the move
Time filler:
Go for a walk. Which vehicles
do you see the most?
There are many ways to travel.
Which way do you like best?
34
Colour the vehicles.
The lorry is making a delivery to the shop.
Show the way to get there.
35
SHOP
Car = red
Bicycle = green
Lorry = blue
Bus = yellow
36
37
Meal times
Help your child connect the vehicle name with the
picture. Once they have completed the colouring activity,
What is
your
encourage
them
to favourite
count howmeal?
many of each vehicle
there are. For the time filler challenge, take a piece of
36
Circle the things you
would have for breakfast.
Time
paper with you and show
yourfiller:
child how they can make
Helpaan
adult layIntroduce
the table the idea
a mark each time they see
vehicle.
for a meal. Where do the
of a tally for every five marks.
knife, spoon, and fork go?
Pick the food and drinks. Cross (x) them out.
Cross out 2 bottles of juice.
How many are left?
5
AL
bottles of juice
E
ER
C
Cross out 3 bananas.
How many are left?
2
bananas
Cross out 4 cartons of milk.
How many are left?
K
MIL
K
MIL
K
MIL
K
MIL
K
MIL
0
cartons of milk
Cross out 5 ice creams.
How many are left?
1
ice cream
Answers may vary.
Meal times are wonderful opportunities for using maths in
a practical way. Counting food items, talking about shapes
and colours, taking measurements, and comparing sizes of
amounts are some of the topics you can talk about. You
can introduce the concept of sharing equal amounts when
cutting a cake or a pizza.
37
74
Answers:
38–39 Animal patterns
40–41 Seed shapes
38
39
Animal patterns
Time filler:
Look at some pictures of animals.
What are the colours and patterns
on their coats?
Animals have colourful coats. Some have
patterns such as spots, stripes, and patches.
38
Circle the odd one out.
Draw the other half of this butterfly to match.
40
39
41
Seed shapes
Time help,
filler:put a small mirror along
Discuss with your child what the similarities and differences be tricky. If your child needs
open some fruit and look at
body
so that she/he can see the
are between the animals. For example, zebras and giraffes the line of the butterfly’s Cut
the seeds. Place them in order of
plants
seeds.
pattern reflected.
bothMany
have four
legsgrow
and afrom
tail, but
are Seeds
different in size,
size from the smallest to the largest.
areand
all pattern.
differentMatching
shapes the
andbutterfly
sizes. pattern can
colour,
40
Draw lines to match
the seeds.
Circle the smallest seeds.
Circle the youngest plant.
Circle the most seeds.
Objects in nature provide plenty of opportunities for maths
investigations. These activities encourage your child to
consider shape, size, and amount of things. You could
discuss with your child how things such as a plant, an
animal, or themselves change as they grow. Use language
such as bigger/smaller, wider/narrower, and more/less.
41
75
Answers:
42–43 In the park
44–45 Toys and games
42
43
In the park
Time filler:
Go to a park. Try to have a
go at everything in 10 minutes.
Ask an adult to tell you when
the time is up.
What do you do in the park?
42
Connect the dots from 1 to 10.
Colour the picture.
1 = red
2 = green
3 = yellow
43
4 = blue
3
1
10
2
9
8
4
3
4
5
7
2
6
1
44
45
Toys and games
These activities offer more opportunities for counting up
and recognizing numbers. The park is another great place
is your
favourite
whereWhat
number
and other
mathstoy?
termsHow
can long
be used. How
have you had it?
44
Some of these toys have wheels
and others do not. Draw lines to
put the toys in the correct set.
No
wheels
many people are on theTime
climbing
filler: frame? What colour is
card or board game.
the swing? What shapeChoose
is thea roundabout?
How many
Play the game with an adult for
steps are there on the ladder?
at least 10 minutes.
Draw the same picture.
1
2
3
Has wheels
45
6
1
5
2
4
3
No wheels
1
2
3
The word “set” is used instead of “groups” so it is a word
that your child will need to know for school. Can they think
of any other toys that belong in these sets? Talk about the
6
1
5
2
4
3
shapes your child will need to draw to copy the pictures,
the ones which need straight lines, and the ones which
have curved lines.
76
Answers:
48–49 Animal patterns
50–51 Seed shapes
48
49
Animal faces
Time filler:
Make an animal mask. Draw an
animal face onto a paper plate.
Ask an adult to cut out the eyes.
All animal faces look different.
Take a close look.
Draw the other half of the lion.
48
Draw two wide eyes
on the owl.
Draw some large
ears on the rabbit.
49
Draw a long trunk
on the elephant.
Draw some sharp
teeth on the crocodile.
50
Plant care
These activities continue to expand your child’s maths
language, which will be used when comparing shapes
like gardening?
Some
and Do
sizesyou
of things.
Together, look
in a plants
mirror and talk
need extra care to grow.
50
Circle the odd
one out.
51
Timewhat
filler:
about what is the same and
is different on either side
Ask an adult
to buy
of your faces. Do your hairstyles
make
thesome
twosunflower
sides different
seeds. Follow the instructions to plant
or are there other features
too,
such
as
freckles?
the seeds in a pot of soil. Put them in
a sunny place. Watch them grow.
Remember to water them.
Tick (✔) the three things a plant needs to grow.
✔
51
✔
✔
Following instructions is another useful skill for developing a
range of maths skills and thinking about doing things in the
right order. To extend the growing sunflower activity, help
your child to record what days of the week she/he
water her/his plants and measure how tall they are
once a week.
77
Answers:
52–53 In the park
54–55 Toys and games
52
53
Sports
Time filler:
Ask an adult to help you set up an
obstacle course. You can jump, run,
and hop. Use hoops to climb through
and balls to roll. How many times
can you go around in 10 minutes?
How high can you jump? How fast
can you run? Sports keep us healthy.
52
Continue the lines
to show what the
person is doing.
Who is using this equipment? Draw a line.
53
1.
2.
3.
4.
54
55
At home
These pages encourage your child to look at patterns, think
about shapes, and make connections. Watch some sport
many
rooms are
yourchild
house?
eitherHow
live or
on television
withinyour
and talk about
54
Match the pictures that
are the same. Draw a line.
Time
filler:and sizes of the pitch,
the number of players, the
shapes
Can you find something in your
balls, and other equipment,
and
adding on the scores.
house beginning with each letter of
the alphabet? a b c d e f g h i j k l
m n o p q r s t u v w x y z.
Count the objects.
Fill in the boxes.
10
11
12
1
2
3
9
8
10
11
12
4
chairs
1
television
6
books
8
crayons
4
7
6
5
1
2
3
9
8
55
4
7
6
5
Check that your child is writing the numbers correctly,
starting from the top. It is important that they begin to learn
how to write the numbers correctly as it is very difficult to
unlearn mistakes. Your house is a great place to find and
count things. You can extend the time filler by setting further
10-minute challenges of finding a certain number of things
beginning with a particular letter.
78
Answers:
56–57 Animal sizes
58–59 Seasons
56
57
Animal sizes
Time filler:
Draw a picture of a zoo.
What animals would you
like in your zoo?
Did you know that the largest animal ever
is the blue whale?
56
Put these animals in size order 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Start
with the smallest. Write your answers in the ribbons.
Circle the biggest.
1
57
2
3
Circle the tallest.
3
2
1
Circle the heaviest.
2
3
58
59
Seasons
Talk about the opposites of these size-related words to
build your child’s mathematical language. Look out for
The four such
seasons
spring, or comparisons
opportunities,
as inare
competitions
summer,
autumn,
winter.1st, 2nd, 3rd etc.
of sizes
of things,
to use and
the words
58
Finish colouring the pictures.
Winter
1
Spring
Time
filler:
These will help your child
learn
these positional terms.
season is it now? Look
Your child’s picture of theWhat
zoo
will
provide a chance
at the plants. Do they have
to discuss numbers and buds
sizesorof
animals.
flowers?
What colour
are the leaves?
Follow the line from the
word to its picture.
Snowy
Snowy
Sunny
Colour the branches brown.
Colour the flowers pink.
Summer
Autumn
Stormy
Rainy
Cloudy
Colour the leaves green.
Colour the leaves orange.
Time is an important mathematical concept and your child
is introduced to this by looking at the changing seasons.
Show your child a calendar and talk about the days of
the week and months of the year as well as the numbers.
A further challenge would be to record the weather for a
week by creating a chart and collecting data.
59
79
Answers:
60–61 At the beach
62–63 Bedtime
60
61
At the beach
Time filler:
What might you find on a beach?
Can you name 10 things?
Have you been to a sandy beach?
What did you do?
60
Circle the things you would take to the beach.
Finish the picture.
Draw a ball in front of the beach umbrella.
Draw a bucket behind the spade.
Draw the sun up in the sky.
Draw a towel on the sand.
Draw a flag on top of the sandcastle.
61
62
Bedtime
Wherever you go on holidays there will be
opportunities to talk about numbers of things,
youcompare
do before
going
to bed?
spot What
shapes,doand
sizes.
Position
wordsDo
63
filler:
introducing “in front of” Time
and “behind”
are used
Go outside when it is night with
again on this page.
an adult. Is the moon out? What
shape is the moon? Point out the
stars that are the brightest.
you tidy away toys and brush your teeth?
62
What comes next?
Continue the pattern.
Tell the story.
63
1.
2.
3.
4.
How many books can you see in these pictures?
What colour are the girl’s pyjamas?
The bedtime routine offers a chance to discuss the
sequence of timings and the order of doing things.
2
Purple
Encourage your child to use the words first, second, third,
and fourth when she/he is telling the story.
80
Answers:
20–21 All about me
46–47 All about me
64–65 All about me
M
obbies
yh
Paste your
picture here.
These pages encourage
your child to talk about
themselves and continue
to make Maths relevant to
their own lives. Their
age and birthday use
time-related words and
counting skills are needed
for numbers of family
members and friends.
Shapes, colours, and
measurement skills are
included in the questions.
Ask your child further
questions about the
shapes they can see in
their picture of the house.
Use a measuring tape to
measure other body parts
or weigh your child on
some scales. The time filler
challenge encourages your
child to design a poster
all about themselves,
which can lead onto
asking more questions.
Me and my family
Written and compiled by experts:
Consultant, Sean McArdle, is a primary school
head teacher with extensive experience of teaching
maths. He has degrees in Education and Primary
Assessment and has written maths textbooks, workbooks,
practice papers, and course books.
Carol Vorderman M.A.(Cantab), MBE,
is one of Britain’s best-loved TV presenters and is
renowned for her skills in mathematics. She has
hosted numerous shows from light entertainment with
Carol Vorderman’s Better Homes and The Pride of
Britain Awards, to scientific programmes such as
Tomorrow’s World, on the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4.
Whether co-hosting Channel 4’s Countdown for
26 years, becoming the second best-selling female
non-fiction author of the noughties decade in the UK,
or advising Rt. Hon David Cameron on the future of
UK mathematics education, Carol has a passion and
devotion to explaining educational subjects in an
exciting and easily understandable way. In 2010 she
launched her own online maths school, where she
teaches parents and children how they can become the
very best they can be in the art of arithmetic. Carols’
online maths school is at www.themathsfactor.com
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a head start
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