5 Ways Art Supports Early Numeracy Skills

Art plays a key role in helping children develop early numeracy skills. Activities like shape collages, mosaics, play dough, number crafts, and block building combine hands-on learning with mathematical concepts. These activities make abstract ideas like geometry, patterns, measurement, and spatial awareness easier for kids to grasp while strengthening their motor skills and problem-solving abilities.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Shape Collages: Teach geometry, shape recognition, and spatial awareness.

• Mosaics & Patterns: Build sequencing, logical thinking, and pattern recognition.

• Play Dough & Sorting: Introduce measurement, comparison, and classification.

• Number Crafts: Reinforce counting, number recognition, and numeral formation.

• Block Building: Develop spatial awareness, problem-solving, and 3D concepts.

At centres like Little Dinosaurs Childcare in Auckland, these activities are integrated into daily routines, helping children aged 2–5 build a strong foundation in numeracy through engaging, hands-on experiences.

Math Art and Drawing Games For Kids

1. Shape Collages and Geometry Learning

Shape collages offer children a hands-on way to dive into geometry while expressing their creativity. By cutting, arranging, and gluing shapes onto paper, kids not only make art but also build essential geometry skills that form the foundation for early numeracy.

It all starts with recognising shapes. As children work with circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles, they begin to notice and identify the unique traits of each one - like how triangles have sharp points or how circles are smooth and round. This process strengthens their ability to visually distinguish shapes and remember their characteristics.

Cutting shapes adds another layer of learning. When kids cut out shapes, they naturally count the sides, reinforcing both their counting abilities and their understanding of geometric properties. For example, they learn that a triangle has three sides, while a square has four equal ones. These hands-on activities make abstract concepts more concrete and relatable.

The next step - arranging shapes - boosts spatial awareness. As children experiment with fitting shapes together, almost like solving a puzzle, they start to understand concepts like symmetry and balance. For instance, they might discover that two triangles can form a square or that circles can be arranged into repeating patterns. This phase ties creative exploration to early mathematical reasoning.

One classroom activity, for example, used pre-cut shapes and scraps of art materials to encourage children to explore both simple and abstract designs, blending creativity with geometry.

Beyond geometry, making collages also supports fine motor development. The precise actions involved - cutting, gluing, and handling small pieces - help strengthen the muscles in their hands and fingers. These skills are not only crucial for writing but also for tackling more advanced maths later on.

When arranging shapes into patterns or pictures, kids make decisions about colour, texture, and layout. These choices build problem-solving skills that can carry over into mathematical thinking.

"Learning shapes not only helps children identify and organise visual information, it helps them learn skills in other curriculum areas including reading, math, and science. For example, an early step in understanding numbers and letters is to recognise their shape." – Jennie Ito, Ph.D., Child Development Expert

Starting with basic shapes like circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles is ideal for younger children. These familiar forms provide a manageable starting point for creative expression and learning. As they gain confidence, more complex shapes - like ovals, diamonds, or hexagons - can be introduced.

Shape collages also help kids connect geometry to the world around them. A yellow circle might become the sun, triangles could represent mountains, and rectangles might stand in for buildings. These real-world connections make geometry feel relevant and practical, helping children spot shapes in everyday life. Each step, from recognising shapes to applying them in real-world contexts, builds critical numeracy skills early on.

In New Zealand, many early childhood centres, including Little Dinosaurs Childcare (https://littledinosaurs.co.nz), incorporate shape collages into their curriculum. This approach nurtures creativity while laying the groundwork for strong numeracy skills.

2. Pattern Making Through Mosaics and Repeated Art

Mosaic and repeated art activities do more than just encourage creativity - they help children build pattern recognition and sequencing skills, which are key stepping stones for mathematical thinking. When kids arrange coloured tiles, beads, or other materials into patterns, they’re not just making something pretty - they’re learning about order, predictability, and the logical connections that form the basis of numeracy.

Research highlights how recognising patterns is crucial for early math development. A child’s ability to identify patterns directly impacts their understanding of number sequences and mathematical operations later in life. In fact, studies show that early exposure to patterns can predict stronger math skills down the road. This makes mosaic and pattern activities not just fun, but also incredibly valuable for long-term learning.

"The ability to identify sequences happens through exposure. The best way to encourage an understanding of patterns is to give your toddler lots of examples." - Jennifer Weeks, Ph.D., Cognitive Science Researcher and STEM Expert

Mosaic activities are a fantastic introduction to pattern-making. They allow children to work with a variety of materials - mosaic tiles, pebbles, coloured paper, or even natural items like shells - to create tessellated designs. Using vibrant and engaging materials makes these activities even more appealing.

For example, dried beans or colourful beads can be sorted and arranged into patterns, helping children explore consistency and repetition. As kids create simple patterns like AB, AB, AB (e.g., red-blue-red-blue), they begin to grasp concepts of sequence and predictability.

The benefits of pattern-focused activities go beyond just mathematics. Research shows that targeted lessons on patterns can improve children’s overall maths achievement more effectively than general maths programmes. Additionally, children with strong pattern recognition skills often develop better executive functions, such as working memory and cognitive flexibility. These activities also enhance other abilities like counting, matching, spatial reasoning, and problem-solving.

Talking about patterns during these activities adds another layer of learning. When adults describe patterns in the environment, children pick up the vocabulary needed to discuss and understand different types of patterns. Encouraging children to explain what they observe further strengthens their conceptual understanding.

By connecting artistic pattern-making to numerical rules, children start to see that numbers, like patterns, follow predictable systems. This realisation helps them understand the structured nature of mathematics. When kids recognise that numbers follow rules just as repeating patterns do, they gain insights into the principles behind our number system.

At Little Dinosaurs Childcare (https://littledinosaurs.co.nz), mosaic and pattern-making are woven into the creative curriculum. These hands-on activities help children aged 2–5 develop essential numeracy skills in a fun and engaging way, laying a strong foundation for future learning.

3. Measuring, Comparing, and Sorting with Play Dough and Natural Materials

Play dough and natural materials provide a hands-on way for young learners to dive into measurement, comparison, and sorting - essential building blocks for developing mathematical thinking. These activities make abstract ideas more concrete, giving children a chance to understand concepts like size and quantity through play.

One simple yet effective activity involves using play dough to explore measurement. Rolling play dough into "snakes" of varying lengths is a fantastic way to introduce this concept. Children can then measure their creations using informal units like cubes, paddle pop sticks, or even paper clips. This not only helps them grasp the basics of measurement but also encourages the use of comparative language as they describe their snakes as "longer", "shorter", or "the same length".

"Get your students rolling, squishing and stretching their way into measurement with this hands-on Play Dough Snake: Measuring Length activity." - Top Teacher

Natural materials, such as leaves and stones, offer endless opportunities for sorting and classification. For example, children can group leaves into categories like "big", "medium", and "small" using recycled cardboard columns. These activities enhance visual discrimination and classification skills. Plus, working with natural resources sparks creativity, engages the senses, and fosters problem-solving and scientific curiosity [35,36]. Sorting objects by shape or grouping them by colour using matching guides also lays the groundwork for more advanced mathematical skills [35,38].

"Young children explore their world with all of their senses through hands-on experiences, they see their developing creations with vivid colours and patterns, they feel the textures of the materials; the soft petals, the rough bark, smooth stones, and smell the fragrant leaves and flowers." - Nature Play QLD

These activities do more than just teach maths - they also strengthen fine motor skills as children manipulate play dough and other materials, making the learning process both fun and memorable.

At Little Dinosaurs Childcare, these sorts of measuring, comparing, and sorting activities are seamlessly woven into daily creative play. Children aged 2–5 build essential numeracy skills by engaging with both man-made and natural materials, gaining confidence in mathematical thinking through exploration and discovery.

4. Number and Symbol Making

After exploring measurement and sorting, engaging children in number and symbol-making activities offers a fun and hands-on way to strengthen their numeracy skills. These creative projects help kids connect abstract numbers to their meanings while also refining their fine motor abilities.

One popular activity is creating number books. Kids can put together a 0–10 booklet, drawing or tracing each numeral. They then glue sensory materials like cotton balls or sequins onto each page to represent the corresponding quantity. This approach reinforces both counting skills and number recognition.

Another tactile option is sand number art. Using coloured construction paper, glue, and art sand, children craft textured numbers. This multi-sensory activity helps them recognise numerals while engaging their sense of touch.

Finger stamping is another engaging way to link physical counting with numeral representation. Kids dip their fingers in ink and stamp their fingerprints onto numbered squares, matching the quantity to the numeral. It’s a simple yet effective way to visualise numbers.

For a more creative twist, number shape art turns numerals into fun art projects. Children draw, cut out, and decorate oversized numbers using markers, paint, or other materials. This makes numbers feel approachable and fun rather than intimidating.

At Little Dinosaurs Childcare, these activities are woven into the daily curriculum for children aged 2-5. By combining art with mathematics, kids build confidence with numbers in a playful and positive way, laying a strong foundation for their ongoing mathematical growth.

5. Spatial Skills Through Block and Building Art

Using blocks to build and create three-dimensional structures offers kids a hands-on way to develop spatial awareness and problem-solving abilities. Whether they’re stacking blocks, designing towers, or constructing elaborate structures, children are exploring concepts that form the basis for future mathematical learning. Let’s take a closer look at how these activities encourage spatial skills.

Understanding Three-Dimensional Relationships is a key aspect of block play. By handling blocks of different shapes, children begin to see how objects interact in space. They notice, for example, that cylinders roll while cubes stay put. This kind of exploration helps them grasp ideas like perspective and spatial transformations.

Interestingly, there’s a strong link between spatial skills and success in mathematics. Research shows that spatial abilities can independently explain differences in maths performance. Block play naturally encourages skills like estimation, measurement, and comparison, all while helping kids understand symmetry and balance.

"Like little scientists, children experiment with structures and observe the outcomes of their building efforts. Through this process they learn about mass, weight, proportionality and balance, and can use their new concepts to plan and predict outcomes." – Susan Friedman, Senior Director, Publishing and Professional Learning at NAEYC

Problem-Solving Through Construction is another valuable lesson that comes from block play. When a tower collapses or a bridge doesn’t hold up, children reflect on what went wrong and try different strategies. This process not only teaches persistence but also helps them view challenges as opportunities to learn and improve. It’s a logical step-by-step approach that mirrors the trial-and-error methods used in other creative activities, laying the foundation for early numeracy.

Block play also introduces children to basic physical principles. Stacking blocks teaches them about gravity and stability, while building bridges reinforces these concepts.

Language Development ties closely to spatial learning. Playing with blocks encourages the use of spatial language - words like "top", "bottom", or "next to" - which sharpens spatial reasoning. This complements earlier activities that involve patterns and shapes, boosting both spatial cognition and vocabulary.

Studies have shown that children who engage in block play between the ages of three and five often excel in maths later in primary school. This highlights how early spatial experiences can set the stage for future STEM learning.

At Little Dinosaurs Childcare, block play is a daily activity for children aged 2–5. The centre provides a variety of building materials and encourages open-ended exploration, helping kids develop these crucial spatial skills. Like other art-based numeracy activities, block play combines creativity with fundamental maths concepts. By integrating construction activities with mathematical language, children not only gain confidence in problem-solving but also build a strong spatial foundation for future learning.

Conclusion

Incorporating art activities into early learning environments allows children to grasp mathematical concepts naturally while enjoying the process and expressing their creativity.

Research highlights the benefits of early exposure to the arts, showing it can improve academic performance by up to 16% and make children four times more likely to be recognised for achievements. As MaryAnn Kohl, a renowned arts educator and author, aptly puts it:

"The kind of people society needs to make it move forward are thinking, inventive people who seek new ways and improvements, not people who can only follow directions",

Beyond academic gains, engaging in creative activities enhances focus, memory, and communication skills. Children who experience art in their early education often develop persistence, concentration, and resilience - skills that are essential for success in both school and life.

At Little Dinosaurs Childcare, these insights are put into action. Their research-based art programmes combine play with learning, offering tailored activities that prepare children not just for the classroom, but for life itself. By blending art and numeracy, they ensure that early education remains both engaging and meaningful.

Bringing creative arts into early childhood education is more than just a teaching strategy - it’s a way to nurture lifelong learners. When children explore maths through artistic expression, they build critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and creative confidence that will support them throughout their educational journey and beyond.

FAQs

How can art help young children develop numeracy skills?

Art activities offer a brilliant way to introduce early numeracy skills to young children. When kids create collages, they get to count sides and recognise shapes, turning basic geometry into a fun, hands-on experience. Drawing or painting patterns strengthens their ability to spot and understand sequences, while sculpting or arranging objects helps them grasp concepts like spatial awareness and balance.

These interactive tasks make learning about numbers and shapes enjoyable while also sparking creativity and encouraging problem-solving. Blending art with numeracy lessons is an engaging approach to nurture young minds and set them up for future success.

How does playing with play dough help children learn about measurement and comparison?

Playing with play dough offers children a fun, hands-on way to explore measurement and comparison concepts. As they roll, mould, and shape the dough, they naturally engage with ideas like size, length, and weight. For instance, they might compare the size of two shapes, create "snakes" of varying lengths, or test how to make objects bigger or smaller.

These playful activities do more than just teach measurement - they also help kids understand spatial relationships, improve fine motor skills, and develop problem-solving abilities. Play dough turns early numeracy into a creative, tactile experience, making learning both interactive and enjoyable.

How do block building activities help children develop spatial awareness and problem-solving skills?

Block building activities are a great way for kids to develop spatial awareness. As they stack, balance, and arrange blocks, they start to understand shapes, sizes, symmetry, and how different objects fit together. This hands-on play lays the groundwork for grasping geometry and spatial relationships.

These activities also nurture problem-solving skills. Kids need to think carefully as they plan their creations, imagine what the final structure will look like, and adjust when things don’t go as planned. Through trial and error, they not only learn resilience but also come up with creative ways to overcome obstacles - all while enjoying themselves!