Home Numeracy Environments of Preschoolers: Examining Relations Among Mathematical Activities, Parent Mathematical Beliefs, and Early Mathematical Skills

Abstract

Research Findings: Early mathematical skills and knowledge are strongly related to long-term achievement, and yet the knowledge base regarding the mechanisms through which young children develop these skills and knowledge is limited. Although research has examined the relation of the home numeracy environment and children's early mathematics performance, results have been equivocal. The purpose of this study was 2-fold: (a) to describe parent-reported home mathematical activities and beliefs about mathematics and (b) to examine the relation between these constructs and preschool-age children's general school readiness skills as well as specific numeracy-related skills. Practice or Policy: Descriptive results suggest that parents engage in a range of mathematical activities in the home with varying frequency. Furthermore, results indicate relations between parent-reported mathematical activities and beliefs, but no statistically significant relations with preschool children's early mathematics performance were demonstrated.