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Mastering Number at Home

Mastering Number at Home is a programme supporting parents to help EYFS and KS1 children develop strong number sense through daily, 10-15 minute, practical games using tools like rekenreks, tens frames, and dice patterns. The focus is on subsidising (recognising amounts without counting) and composing numbers, rather than just counting.

Key Strategies for Parents

  • Subitising: Help your child recognise small quantities immediately (e.g., dots on a dice, fingers) without counting one-by-one.
  • Rekenrek Usage: Use a rekenrek (abacus) to visualise "five-and-a-bit" structures to build number fluency.
  • Composition of Numbers: Explore "part-part-whole," such as seeing that 6 is made of 4 and 2, or 5 and 1.
  • Daily Games: Play short, 10-minute games daily, such as "Make 10" or "How many more?" using counters or everyday objects.
  • Finger Patterns: Encourage showing numbers on fingers, particularly using two hands to represent numbers within 10 (e.g., seven as five and two). 
  • This  programme is explained fully in the PowerPoint presentation below. 

    We hope you will participate in this programme and look forward to receiving your feedback. Most importantly, enjoy and have fun!