Children's understanding of numbers, counting and calculating can be enhanced through a wide range of songs and rhymes. While enjoying them, children are learning to recognise numerals, to say number names in order, to match items or people to numbers, to count forwards and backwards and to begin to understand addition and subtraction, the principles of calculation.
Full range
Provide regular opportunities for children to share number songs and rhymes and include as wide a variety as possible. Share songs and rhymes that:
* Count up to and back from five and ten. You'll find a good selection in This Little Puffin - A treasury of nursery rhymes, songs and games, compiled by Elizabeth Matterson (Puffin Books, 6.99). More are in the just-published book Number Rhymes to Say and Play! by Opal Dunn, illustrated by Adriano Gon (Frances Lincoln, 10.99).
* Tie in with current events or seasons, for example, sing 'Five little leaves so bright and gay' in the autumn
* Enhance areas of interest or topics, for example, 'Five small stars that shone so bright' to tie in with a project on night and day.
Added interest
To make the songs and rhymes more purposeful, effective and interesting:
* Provide large flash cards numbered 1 to 5, or 1 to 10, to develop the children's number recognition and understanding of the concepts of number.
* Put the appropriate number of spots on the reverse of the flash cards (and other laminated card props) so children can count the dots if they are unsure which number the numeral represents.
* Always have a card with zero on it, to share with the children at the beginning or end of the song and rhyme as appropriate. Discuss what zero means in the context of the song or rhyme.
* Provide props such as numbered hats and finger and hand puppets as an alternative to number cards. NES Arnold (0845 120 4525) supplies numbered hats (31.95 for a set of ten), frog finger puppets (10.95 for a set of ten) and bear finger puppets (12.95 for a set of ten).
* Make sets of laminated cards in shapes relating to the songs and rhymes such as ducks, frogs, green bottles and currant buns.
* Encourage the children to use their fingers to count and keep a tally while singing the songs and rhymes. Model counting on your own fingers and ask questions such as, 'How many fingers are you showing?'
* Give the children number cards from 1 to 5, or 1 to 10, and encourage them to work out their positions in the number line.
* Nominate one child as a 'helper' to sort the children into order in the number line.
* Ask questions to help the children work out their positions in the number line - for example, 'Who has number one on their card? Which number is next? What number comes before/after three?'
* Introduce the concept and language of ordinal numbers in your questions - for example, 'Thomas is first because he has number one. Who is second with number two? And who will be third in the line?'
* Challenge the children by asking questions relating to addition and subtraction - for example, 'We have three ducks now and we need five altogether, so how many more ducks do we need?' or 'There were ten in the bed and three have fallen out, so how many are left?' or 'If we take one away, how many will there be then?'.
* Make song and rhyme books or cards with the children with words, numbers and pictures to use while singing the songs and rhymes.
* Create props, such as five little ducks, to accompany the songs and rhymes.
* Provide opportunities for the children to represent the characters and act out the actions in the song or rhyme.
Follow-up activities
* Add props to the basic provision to provide opportunities for the children to role play and re-enact the actions from the songs or rhymes.
* Provide related games for the children to play with, such as the 'Ten in the Bed' game (NES Arnold, 8.25).
* Make available 'prop' boxes so that the children can organise their own singing sessions individually or in groups. Include the song books or cards, number cards, finger puppets and, if possible, tapes of songs.
Most importantly, make sure singing songs and rhymes together is relaxed and fun for everyone taking part, so that children are motivated to learn and build confidence in their own mathematical understanding at their own level.