Mathematics
Resource List
Numbers
Birth to 11
months
8 – 20
months
16 – 26
months
 Treasure baskets for counting (2-3 of the same object)
 Pieces of material for covering and showing for hide and seek games
 Mobiles in a variety of shapes and materials
 Repetitive number rhymes
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Songs and rhymes during personal routines
 Collect a range of number rhymes which reflect different cultures to develop
awareness of number names
 Picture books of body parts for naming games
 Pop up toys/boxes to develop babies’ interest for things that disappear from
sight
 Lift the flap books to develop understanding of existence when something
cannot be seen
 Mobiles and ceiling displays
 Add sorting resources that can be sorted in different ways to the role play
e.g. cups and saucers
 Matching resources i.e. shape sorters
 Introducing picture labels on resources/storage to encourage children to
work out where things belong
 Collections of objects that can be sorted and matched in different ways
 Resources that support one-one correspondence
Shape, Space and Measure
 Spirals and mobiles to encourage interest in movement
 Resources in a variety of shape and texture. i.e. rugs, space
blankets
 Object books e.g. showing big and little
 Variety of balls, different shapes, sizes and textures
 Treasure baskets, include objects of different textures and
weights
 Story props for size recognition
 Board puzzles with large pieces and knobs or handles for
success
 Variety of tracks to develop interest in shape
 Wooden blocks/ Stacking towers (ASCO catalogue p116) for
creating structures
 Pictures of shapes of objects to indicate where things are kept
 Heuristic play to become familiar with the shapes of everyday
objects
 Variety of containers for filling and emptying to develop
awareness of quantity and measure
 Variety of music, material and scarves to explore movement
 Variety of patterned fabric
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Mathematics
Numbers
22 – 36
months
30 – 50
months
 Resources with numbers on to create a number rich environment i.e.
telephones, clocks, washing machine, microwave
 Number labels such as house and bus numbers
 Number posters/books to develop understanding of numbers 1,2 &3
 Matching games to encourage language such as more and lots
 Sequencing games, visual cues to encourage using number names in sequence
 Variety of containers and scales for sand and water play
 Displays/collections about their favourite things to stimulate discussions i.e
“how many like?”
 Games and equipment that offer opportunities for counting e.g. skittles,
compare bears
 Props for children to act out counting songs e.g. 5 little ducks
 Till and real money to provide counting opportunities
 Sorting/sharing games and resources which enable children to recognise when
there are “none left”
 Using number labels in the environment to match numbers and quantities
 Story props/sacks e.g. Handa’s surprise with a variety of fruit
 Collections of objects that allow the opportunity for them to be separated
into unequal as well as equal groups
 Props for children to act out counting songs e.g. 5 little ducks
Shape, Space and Measure
 Bags, purses and containers to sort things in with real coins
 Pictures and photographs/objects that illustrate the use of
shapes and patterns in a Variety of cultures
 Wooden shapes, variety of sizes and patterns
 Resources to measure time e.g. sand timers
 Resources to measure weight e.g. balances
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More complex puzzles
Variety of wooden block, boxes, junk modelling for construction
Shells, fir cones, feathers, pebbles (in baskets)
Construction kits
Opportunities for shape matching
Range of pictures showing symmetry or pattern that will
stimulate discussion
 Books about distance i.e. Rosie’s walk by Pat Hutchins
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Mathematics
Resource List
Numbers
40 – 60
months
 variety of number games/ number poems/rhymes
 large/small construction
 collections of interesting things that can be sorted, counted, ordered and
labelled
 props for number rhymes e.g. props for “5 Little Ducks”
 range of number signs in purposeful contexts e.g. on house, how many
children can use the area
 outdoor markings e.g targets, parking bays
 calendars, birthday charts, height charts,
 number puzzles
 tactile numerals – wooden, plastic, foam, magnetic, sandpaper, velvet
 threading resources
 sorting/matching games
 number games ( teach the children how to play them)
 technological appliances with numbers on e.g. calculators, robots, clocks,
telephones
 books, telephone book, recipe books, diary
 malleable play and resources e.g baking trays, cake cases
 money in role play
 computers software, programmable toys
 blocks and bricks
 small world play e.g dolls house
 opportunity for the children to record what they have done i.e drawing, tally
 a range of vertical and horizontal number line – using photos of children, real
objects, numerals made from sandpaper etc
 100 square to show number patterns
 dice games
 everyday items to match/sort/compare
 see resources for 40-60 months
Shape, Space and Measure
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visual timetable
posters
variety of shape games and construction materials
home made books with the children about shape, space, measures,
shapes in the environment, long/short things, things that are the
same length, books about patterns, things that are heavy/light,
heavier/lighter
outdoor markings e.g. patterns and shapes
threading activities
birthday/height charts
calendar
sorting and matching games
technological appliances e.g. robots, stop watches, timers, shop tills
scales
water/sand play
malleable materials
programmable toys
small world play encouraging use of mathematical terms such as
language of position, measure
wooden blocks and bricks
2D and 3D shapes
boxes and materials in different shapes/sizes for model making
paintbrushes and tools in various sizes to promote discussion
about size, thick or thin
box containing items such as standard/non-standard tape measures,
clipboards, paper and pencil for drawing sketches of models
mirrors
dolls clothes and children’s clothes in different sizes to match and
compare e.g shoes, hats. socks, gloves
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