Chapter 4: Mathematics in Early Childhood¹

For over a century, views of young children’s mathematics have differed widely. The recent turn of the century has seen a dramatic increase in attention to the mathematics education of young children. We begin with a brief consideration of the history of mathematics in early childhood and then turn to the question of what children know before entering school. The remainder of the chapter examines what children can and should learn about the five major mathematical topics: Number and arithmetic, geometry, measurement, patterning and algebraic thinking, and data and graphing.

Popular opinion often holds that introducing mathematics before first grade, and especially before kindergarten, is a new phenomenon with some rallying against starting “academics” too early. However, mathematics and conflicts about the type of mathematical experiences that should be provided, have a long history in early education (Balfanz, 1999). Researchers have repeatedly witnessed children enjoying pre-mathematical activities. (There are similar recent results for children from different countries and different SES groups, Ginsburg, Ness, & Seo, 2003.) However, others expressed fears of the inappropriateness of mathematics for young children, although these opinions were based on broad social theories or trends, not observation or study (Balfanz, 1999). Bureaucratic and commercial imperatives emerging from the institutionalization of early childhood education quashed most of the promising mathematical movements.