A new booklet from the Young Minds, Big Maths project is helping early years educators rethink how children experience mathematics – placing creativity, exploration, and curiosity at its heart.
The resource is led by Dr Rachel Oughton, Dr Sophy Darwin, and Dr Adam Townsend from Durham's Department of Mathematical Sciences, and builds on collaboration with nurseries and educators across the North East of England to highlight the mathematical thinking already present in young children’s play.
“Recognising the maths that is already happening is key, and is perhaps what distinguishes Young Minds, Big Maths from many other resources for early years educators. This is important because it equips educators to offer useful materials and language, and to ask helpful questions.”
The project has been developed in partnership with Houghton Community Nursery School, whose staff asked for support in strengthening their maths provision.
“This project grew directly from children’s interests and our daily curriculum practice. Our partnership with Durham University has sharpened our ability to recognise, articulate and extend children’s mathematical thinking. The Ramp booklet documents that shared learning, demonstrating how meaningful collaboration can transform both practice and understanding.”
Sarah Dixon-Jones, Headteacher, Houghton Community Nursery School.
“They had a fabulous, exploratory approach,” said Dr Oughton, “but found it harder to see the maths connected to what the children were doing.”
Discussions soon developed into regular meetings exploring maths within children’s interests, and the network has since grown to include around 20 early years settings.
To reach a wider audience, the team created the booklet: “We wanted more nurseries to benefit from what we’d discovered,” Dr Oughton said. “The booklet helps make those ideas accessible to a much wider community of educators.”
Focusing on ramp play, the booklet shows how familiar activities can support learning about slope, speed, comparison, and pattern.
It encourages adults to notice and build on children’s natural curiosity, emphasising that maths extends far beyond numbers. “Early years maths isn’t just about counting,” Dr Oughton explained. “It’s about connecting ideas, noticing patterns, comparing things – and being curious about how the world works.”
The resource also presents maths as open-ended and creative, challenging the idea of a single “correct” approach.
Research shows children can disengage from maths at a young age, and that it is difficult to reverse.
“There’s evidence that children ‘switch off’ from maths quite early in primary school,” Dr Oughton said. Positive early experiences, she added, can build confidence and “maths capital”, supporting both wellbeing and future opportunities.
More than 5,000 copies of the booklet have been distributed, with around 600 ordered directly by educators, consultants, and academics. Others have been shared via local authorities and early years networks, and are increasingly used in training and university teaching.
Feedback has been highly positive, with users highlighting its combination of real examples, reflective insight, and clear explanations of the mathematics involved.
The booklet is designed to help educators and families recognise mathematical thinking in everyday play and feel confident supporting it.
“We’d love it if it helps people notice mathematical thinking – especially around ramps – and feel able to support children in exploring those ideas further,” Dr Oughton said.
The Young Minds, Big Maths ramp play booklet is available to download free of charge.
Ultimately, the project aims to reshape perceptions of mathematics from the earliest stages. As Dr Oughton puts it, maths is “open and fun, and can be explored in far more ways than you might think”.
/filters:quality(70)/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/departments-/mathematical-sciences/Maths-2-3-2-4029X1177.jpg)