Maths everywhere Activity
Like language, mathematical understanding is wired from birth. Encouraging mathematical thinking as tamariki group, sort, measure, count, match and recognise patterns and shapes. This supports future understanding of complex mathematical ideas.
Why do it?
Simple maths is everywhere. It is:
- finding things that go together
- organising things into groups
- using ideas about shape, colour, size, number and patterns.
How to do it
You can play games around the house where tamariki group matching things together or sort them into different groups. Use everyday items from around the house:
- socks and shoes
- forks and spoons
- books
- blocks or bottle tops
- cards
- magazine pictures
- photos.
You can go for walks to gather items that are good for matching and sorting:
- shells
- leaves
- twigs
- pebbles
- driftwood.
Using more reo Māori
| Te reo Māori | English |
|---|---|
| Kāri | Cards |
| Pikitia | Picture |
| Whakaahua | Photograph |
| Angaanga | Shell |
| Rau | Leaf |
| Rārā | Twig |
| Pōhatu | Stone |
| Tāwhaowhao | Driftwood |
| Porowhā | Square |
| Porohita | Circle |
| Porotītaha | Oval |
| Tapatoru | Triangle |
| Tapawhā | Rectangle |
| Ngā tae | Colours |
| Whero | Red |
| Kōwhai | Yellow |
| Kākāriki | Green |
| Kahurangi | Blue |
| Mā | White |
| Pango | Black |
| Ngā tau | Numbers |
| Rahi | Size |
| Tauira | Pattern |
| Hū | Shoe |
| Tōkena | Sock |
| Whāka | Fork |
| Pune | Spoon |
| Ngā rākau | Blocks |
| E hia ngā mea? | How many things? |
| Tokohia ngā tangata? | How many people? |
| Kotahi te pukapuka | There is one book |
| E rima ngā pune | There are five spoons |
| Rite tonu, ōrite | Same |
| Rerekē | Different |
| Wehewehe | Sort |
| He aha te tae? | What colour is it? |
| Te tae ōrite | Same colour |
| Ōrite te āhua | Similar in shape |
| E hia ō hū? | How many shoes have you? |
| E rua ōku hū | I have two shoes |
| E hia ō tau? | How old are you? |
| E toru ōku tau | I am three years old |
| Rite tonu te tae o ēnei mea | These things are the same colour |
