16mo–2.2y10 minFree playBath timeOutdoor
Scoop, Pour, Count
A sensory play activity where you add simple number prompts to sand/water-style play so your child can practise small-number requests, quantity language, and early number marks.
What you'll need
Essentials
- a shallow tray/bowl and a towel (for water play or dry sensory play)
- 2–3 cups/containers and a spoon/scoop
- 5–8 large safe items to move and count (e.g., big sponges, chunky plastic rings, large shells, bath toys)
Nice to have
- a second bowl for ‘more/less’ comparing
- paper and a thick crayon for quick dot marks
Movement level: low
What you'll do
The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
What it practices
- Selects a small number of objects from a group when asked, for example, ‘please give me one’, ‘please give me two’.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Recites some number names in sequence.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Uses some language of quantities, such as ‘more’ and ‘a lot’.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Begins to make comparisons between quantities.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Creates and experiments with symbols and marks representing ideas of number.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Plan to incorporate a mathematical component in areas such as the sand, water or other play areas.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)