Kinders new addition

The program will help kids improve their maths skills. 161343_04

By Kyra Gillespie

Early childhood educators at Officer’s Minaret Early Learning Centre and Lang Lang Kindergarten will participate in a new early years’ program to help Cardinia pre-schoolers and their families improve their maths skills.

Through the Let’s Count training, they will learn practical tips and get access to best-practice resources to help them develop children’s maths skills.

More than 350 early childhood services have participated in Let’s Count since 2016 – with the figure to tip over 500 by the end of the year, helping an estimated 14,000 pre-schoolers and their families.

Let’s Count helps early years’ educators engage families and their children in counting, measuring and identifying patterns. The program also helps parents and carers to introduce maths to children in a fun, simple way that can be incorporated into everyday life.

Let’s Count was developed by Charles Sturt University Professor Bob Perry, Monash University Associate Professor Ann Gervasoni and The Smith Family to help children develop skills and a positive attitude towards maths before they begin primary school.

The knowledge and skills that children develop in the early years are crucial for later in life.

In 2015, a longitudinal evaluation of the Let’s Count program showed it improved children’s maths skills, with children who participated in the program performing better across a range of mathematical tasks than children not involved in the program.

“Maths is one of the foundations of essential learning and to make it fun for Cardinia kids is a great step in making kids ready for school,” Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Daniel Mulino said.

“It is great to see the introduction of Let’s Count in Cardinia to encourage parents, carers and pre-school educators to help kids see that learning is fun and engaging.”