The Mathematical Competencies of Toddlers Expressed in Their Play and Daily Life Activities in Norwegian Kindergartens.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the mathematical competences expressed by 1,003 Norwegian children of an average age of about two-and-a-half years (between 30 and 33 months) in their play and daily activities.

The results show that the children have mathematical competences within all the areas observed such as counting and adding together (e.g. enumeration), geometry (e.g. shapes, space, patterns) and problem solving (e.g. mathematical language). There is a great spread in the scores for the following sub-categories: numbers and counting, geometry as well as problem solving. The largest difference is in connection with numbers and counting. Compared to previous studies, this study shows that the children score lower on using numerals and on reciting number sequences. However, the children score higher on doing jigsaw puzzles and following instructions containing spatial words such as recognising geometrical terms. The assessment material used by the early childhood educators to identify the children’s different competences is regarded by the early childhood educators to be a valuable tool which can be used at daycare facilities. Overall the study finds that the results illustrate and stress the challenges of the daycare facility to provide each child must be with an opportunity to thrive and develop.

The study is a Norwegian quantitative study and it is part of a larger multidisciplinary longitudinal study. The study presents the first of four measurements of children’s mathematical skills. The purpose of the study is to identify early development factors which later can inhibit or promote the children’s reading, writing and mathematical skills. The study includes 1,003 toddlers and 513 male early childhood educators as well as 490 female early childhood educators. A total of 16.5% of the children are multilingual. Data was collected using the early childhood educators’ observations of the children’s play and daily activities at the daycare facility on the basis of specific assessment material.

Reikerås, E., Løge, I.K. & Knivsberg, A. (2012). The Mathematical Competencies of Toddlers Expressed in Their Play and Daily Life Activities in Norwegian Kindergartens. International Journal of Early Childhood 44(1), 91-114.