Exploring and Playing

Hamilton's Reception Maths planning targets the key characteristics of effective early learning:
Maths Out Loud: whole-class counting, repetitive chants, rhymes, songs and a linked story to enjoy together.
Counting
Shuffle a set of 1-10 cards. Show one. Children say the next number, then carry on counting until you say stop. Repeat with other cards.
On a different day, repeat, but this time, children count back to zero.
Use number shapes – such as Numicon - for the same activity, asking Which shape is 1 more/ 1 less than this one?
Analyse and visualise number images, e.g. by showing children the dice pattern for 5 and asking them What numbers can you see hidden inside this number?
Chants/Rhymes/Songs
Sing a song or say a rhyme which starts with one object/character and adds one more each time, e.g. One elephant went out to play, or One man went to mow, such as this animated version of One Man Went to Mow on YouTube.com.
Story
On the Launch Pad: A Counting Book About Rockets by Michael Dahl
Exploring and Playing
A complete set of dominoes; chairs; a steering wheel and a bus stop; items in a class shop; price labels; pens; playground chalk; bean bags.
Active Learning
A tin or money box; 12 pennies; 12 soft toys, a blanket; 10 chairs; covered car park (see preparation); 10 cars.
Creating and Thinking Critically
1-20 track; 1-20 cards; eight cards for additions; cubes; Addition cards (see resources); 1-6 dice; dice with 1 or 2 spots on each face; game track with numbers from 1 to 12 in order; building bricks, e.g. Lego® or Duplo®; coin; counters.
Counting
Roll a 1-6 (or 0-9) numerical dice. Show me this number on your fingers. What is the next number? Show me. Repeat lots of times. Then just roll the dice, children say the next number each time.
Chants/Rhymes/Songs
One, two, buckle my shoe. Children could join in with this animated version of One, two, buckle my shoe from www.bbc.co.uk.
Story
My Granny Went to Market by Stella Blackstone
Exploring and Playing
A complete set of dominoes; play animals, and a pen/series of pens/houses; 1-20 number cards; 1, 2, 3 dice; 2 different coloured counters; Snakes and ladders board (see resources).
Active Learning
2-10 cards; cubes; flipchart and pens; 1 to 12 cards; washing line and pegs; money box/tin; 12 pennies; 11-20 number cards; 1-20 number track; a large 1-12 floor number track; a large dice with 1, 2 or 3 spots on each face.
Creating and Thinking Critically
Pack of 1-20 cards; large piece of paper for a game track; coin; different coloured counters; building bricks, e.g. Lego® or Duplo®; playground chalk; lots of number shapes, e.g. Numicon.
Counting
Shuffle a set of 5-20 cards. Show one. Children count back from this number to zero. Repeat counting back from other numbers.
Chants/Rhymes/Songs
Sing a song which subtracts 2 each time, e.g. 10 fat sausages sizzling in a pan, one went pop and another went bang. 8 fat sausages… Children show fingers to match sausages. There is an animated version of 10 Fat Sausages at www.bbc.co.uk.
Story
Ten Little Princesses or Ten Little Pirates by Mike Brownlow
Exploring and Playing
Bikes; playground chalk; large numbers 1-10; 10 play people; a ‘park/playground’; access to the sand pit/ tray; buckets and spades; 1-20 number cards; 1, 2 dice.
Active Learning
Chair; blanket; 10 toy lions (or bears); flipchart and pens; 1-10 cards; cubes; large 1-12 floor track; large dice with 1 or 2 spots on each face; 1-20 floor track (or draw one on playground); cards for subtractions.
Creating and Thinking Critically
Plate; 10 biscuits; tea towel; puppet; teddy; cubes; a 1, 2 dice; large piece of paper; coin; counters; building bricks, e.g. Lego®, or Duplo®; 1-20 number track for each child.
From £155 (+ VAT) per year. Access to all key stages for multiple users.
Sign upJust £45 (£37.50 + VAT) per year to get access to all resources.
Sign upJust £33 (£27.50 + VAT) to get access to all resources for 2 years.
Sign up