Our children have gone crazy over numbers since we introduced number sacks, says Maureen Baker, head teacher at Children's House Nursery School, Edinburgh Numeracy is one of the priorities in our nursery development plan and, since launching our number bags at a special number day, we've noticed that the children have started to use a lot more number in their play.
Staff and parents have also become more aware of introducing number ideas into nursery and home routines - parents have told us that even washing-up is less of a chore when counting plates with their children. Our number bags were inspired by story sacks and we've now got 40 different bags.
They are based around the themes of counting up, counting down and the home, and include 'Five speckled frogs', 'One man went to mow', 'Ten fat sausages', shopping and baking. Each number bag contains a rhyme sheet with singing games that we enjoy in our nursery, a related story, 3D props, a set of number cards from one to ten to use for number sequence or recognition, an ideas sheet giving parents suggestions on how to use the resources and an evaluation sheet.
For example, in the baking bag we have the 'Pat-a-cake' rhyme, a recipe for a Victoria sponge teddy bear, a teddy bear mould, a recipe for playdough and a prompt sheet including ideas such as counting spoonfuls of cornflakes in the morning.
The recipe measurements are all in cups or spoonfuls to make it easier. From the beginning, parents have helped make and fill the bags. Initially, we invited Mums and Dads to come for a coffee and chat about working with number in a fun way - we didn't want it to sound too daunting.
In our nursery we work with many other professionals and a family learning worker joined us to develop this project. We made it a top priority, with a nursery nurse and special needs auxiliary released to attend weekly meetings along with a core group of five parents. Even older and younger siblings have been enjoying the number bags at home. Some children haven't wanted to bring their bags back after having them for a week and they often know which one they want next, so that's positive.
We take the children's views into account when assessing the number bags. They often talk about what they've liked and recall what they've done with members of their family.
We also welcome feedback from parents and encourage them to let their children play with the resources in any way they like. The 'Five speckled frogs' bag has a magnetic board with a log and frogs to stick on and use while singing the rhyme, but the frogs have also been dropped and counted into water during bathtime.
Children have found steam on windows ideal to write numbers on. Some children have become interested in other frog stories and parents have taken them to look for frogs at local ponds - the number bags have many spin-offs.
Parents made and decorated the bags out of waterproof material donated by a local factory. Many of the contents have been made by parents and staff in their own time, while others were bought from nursery funds.
There was a great deal of goodwill involved. With hindsight, we should have applied for funding for the scheme and would encourage other nurseries to do so. We're considering making a small joining fee to help fund resources.
I'm loathe to involve money, but I don't think the parents will grumble. A lot of thought went into the resources and, inevitably, one major consideration was safety.
Labels on the bag handles have a safety warning and list the contents, but we've stressed that parents shouldn't worry if things do go missing.
We've made back-up copies of everything possible, so items can be replaced quickly. Some parents didn't realise that what they were doing was of such value to their children, so this project has given them a real boost.
Above all, our children have benefited - their awareness of number in their life and the environment has increased. On the way to nursery they're recognising house numbers, counting as they jump up and down steps, talking about the date of their birthdays and playing number games with their friends. It's been a worthwhile learning experience for staff, parents and children alike, and this is continuing as we develop and invent new number bags for the children to grow with.
Children's House Nursery School, 30 Wauchope Terrace, Edinburgh EH16 4NU, tel: 0131 661 1401 Maureen Baker spoke to Annette Rawstrone
