CONTENTSWhat your child will learn in maths#
Every day, your child is learning about and using maths ideas like:
- counting
- measuring
- sorting
- patterns
- numbers
- shapes
- size
- position.
You can help them by:
- noticing patterns, shapes, sizes, and numbers wherever you are
- including maths ideas in their play, interests, and everyday activities.
Good maths skills and a positive view of themselves as maths learners will help your child in the future. Encourage your child to use the maths vocabulary they learn in class.
Number#
Ideas to help at home
With your child, you could:
- find numbers around your home and neighbourhood – clocks, letterboxes, speed signs
- count forwards and backwards – microwave, clocks, fingers and toes, letterboxes, action rhymes, signs
- do sums using small numbers of objects – for example "we have 2 marbles, let’s get 3 more, how many do we have now?"
- make up number stories – "you have 2 brothers and 2 sisters. There are 4 of them."
- bake – talk to your child about the recipe and ingredients using words like, "how many?” “how much?” And, “more” – for example, count how many teaspoons of baking soda are needed, how many cups of flour and how many muffin cases.
Your child is learning to:
- count in 1s, 2s, and 10s forwards and backwards up to 20, then up to 100
- count up to 30 in te reo Māori
- recognise, read, write, and compare numbers up to at least 100, use place value to show numbers (17 is 1 10s and 7 1s) and use terms like 'first', 'second', 'third'
- make smaller groups in different ways using 20 objects, like 10 and 10, 11 and 9, or 15 and 5
- develop addition and subtraction skills by joining and separating groups of up to 20 objects and finding the difference between groups by counting
- learn basic addition facts up to 10 and their subtraction facts (6 + 4 = 10, 4 + 6 = 10, 10 - 4 = 6, 10 - 6 = 4), including doubles and halves
- develop multiplication and division ideas by using equal groups or counting, like making 3 groups of 3 blocks and counting all the blocks
- talk about, draw and use materials to show fractions, such as finding halves and quarters of small groups of objects or shapes.
Words your child will be learning
Words include:
- digit
- equal group
- equal part
- forwards, backwards
- fraction, half, quarter, whole
- regroup
- set
- sum, difference
- tally.
Algebra#
Ideas to help at home
With your child, you could:
- create patterns with everyday objects. Use blocks, beads, shells or toys to make and extend patterns (red-blue-red-blue or big-small-big-small). Ask your child to predict "what comes next?"
- play "what's missing?" games. Line up a few toys or objects, then remove 1 while your child closes their eyes. Ask them to identify what's missing, helping them understand the concept of unknown values.
Your child is learning to:
solve simple number problems using addition and subtraction, like filling in the missing number: 3 + X = 7.
check if number sentences are true or false, like: 4 + 2 = 7.
copy, continue, and make repeating patterns using 3 things (like colours, shapes, or actions).
spot what’s missing in a pattern, like: red, green, blue, red, X, blue.
Words your child will be learning
Words include:
- changed, unchanged
- element
- equation
- number sentence
- repeating pattern
- true, false
- unit of repeat.
Measurement#
Ideas to help at home
With your child, you could:
- use string, blocks, or shoes to compare the length of objects around the house. Ask, “Which is longer?” or “Can we measure both with the same piece of string?”
- let children hold two items (e.g. an apple and a potato) and ask, “Which feels heavier?” Use kitchen scales if available.
- use cups or containers during bath time or cooking. Ask, “Which holds more water?” or “Can we fill this using the same cup each time?”
- talk about time during the day and look at your family calendar to visualise days, weeks, months.
Your child is learning to:
- compare objects by their size, weight and how much they can hold, and decide which object is longer, heavier, or holds more
- order the days of the week and understand when things happen in their daily routine, using words like 'morning', 'afternoon', and 'night'
- tell the time to the hour using 'o'clock'.
Words your child will be learning
Words include:
● capacity
● day, week, month, year
● tomorrow, yesterday, next, last
● days of the week
● distance
● far
● near
● close
● earlier, later
● heavier, longer, shorter
● hour, minute, second
● morning, afternoon, evening, midday, noon, midnight
● o’clock
● starting point, end point
● weight.
Geometry#
Ideas to help at home
With your child, you could:
- build with blocks and talk about shapes – describe the shapes you're using (cubes, rectangles) and discuss concepts like 'on top of', 'beside' or 'under' to develop spatial awareness
- read picture books that emphasise positional language and movement – for example, 'Scatter Cat', 'Bears in the Night', 'We’re Going on a Moa Hunt'
- go on a shape hunt around your house or neighbourhood – look for circles, squares, triangles and rectangles in your environment and talk about their properties
- cut sandwiches into different shapes – make triangles, squares or rectangles and talk about how the pieces look different but are still the same amount of food.
Your child is learning to:
- name and sort different shapes like triangles, circles, squares, and 3D shapes like cubes, cylinders, and spheres
- predict and check how to make a big shape using smaller shapes, like using a square and a triangle to make a house shape
- flip, slide, and turn 2D shapes to create fun patterns
- follow simple directions – for example, "go to the right of the door" or "find your red ball on the shelf above the books"
- use pictures, diagrams, or stories to help describe where things are.
Words your child will be learning
Words include:
- map
- middle, centre
- 2D shape
- 3D or solid shape
- cube, cylinder, sphere
- slide
- rectangle.
Statistics#
Ideas to help at home
With your child, you could:
- gather leaves, rocks, or pine cones during a walk, then sort them by different attributes – count how many are in each category
- ask a question like “What’s your favourite fruit?” and collect answers from a few family members or friends
- look at the chart together and ask questions like “How many people chose bananas?” or “Which fruit was the most popular?”
- ask questions like “Which fruit do people like the most?” to help your child think about the data.
Your child is learning to:
- ask simple questions and collect information with a few possible answers (like “What is your favourite colour?”)
- sort answers into groups and identify if they are more or less popular or favourite
- record information using tally marks (e.g. ||| for 3 people)
- make simple graphs or charts to show the information
- talk about what the graph or chart shows, using the topic and how many people chose each answer
- answer questions about the graph, like which group has the most or least.
Words your child will be learning
● category
● data
● frequency
● most, least
● picture graph.
