Compass Points – Outdoor Suggestions

Here are over 15 experiences which can help your class learn about compass directions in practical ways linked to real life learning and environmental considerations. I hope the suggestions are of use, saving you time and helping you to enjoy working outside with your...

Stick Pic Problems

What do all these stick pictures have in common? Yes, they are all made from sticks….anything else you notice? The sticks have been cut to specific lengths? Correct: 10cm, 25cm, 50cm can be seen in all these photos. When you add up the total length of the sticks...

From Reflections into Symmetry Outdoors

Previously I’ve blogged about investigating reflections which is one way into symmetry and can be linked to scientific and artistic explorations. Back in the outdoor space, more specific experiences can be provided for young children based upon their own...

Outdoor Reflections

Here in Scotland, our younger children are expected to have fun creating a range of symmetrical pictures and patterns using a range of media. Immediately the outdoor possibilities of such experiences run riot in my mind where the explorations can be bigger, better and...

Mud Pi Day – 20 Ideas to Celebrate Maths Outdoors

This is a shared blog post between myself and Judy Duncan, a teacher at Greenbrae Primary school who organised a whole session of maths outside for the whole school to participate in, many years ago. Her class were instrumental in the design of the Mud Pi Day logo...

A Nature Pyramid Pattern Investigation

Creating rules to follow in maths provides investigations which can be surprisingly absorbing. In this blog post, aimed at primary-aged children, we begin with ensuring we have three piles of objects. Outside this is easy to gather and can be part of the initial work:...

35+ Outdoor Maths Books, Packs, Downloads and Videos

On a number of occasions in the Outdoor Maths in Primary and Early Years Facebook group, queries have been made about books and resources that exist about outdoor maths. Thus it seemed to make good sense to put these into a blog post for anyone to access. It...

10 Primary maths ideas that need snow

I am an eternal optimist and thus always hope that every winter we will get plenty of snow. It’s so versatile. There’s so many mathematical possibilities linked to snow. So have this blog post tucked away for seizing the moment when the soft stuff falls....

The Fibonacci Sequence and Nature

Happy Fibonacci Day (November 23rd – 11 23) Fibonacci lived from 1180-1250. He was the son of an Italian merchant. He developed a passion for numbers and discovered the following sequence that can be observed in leaf arrangements, flower segments, pine cones,...

What’s your picture worth?

If you look at the photo above, you can see it has been valued at 80.  Below, the abstract art is worth 180 – please note the pile of shells above the 180 is not part of the picture. Can you work out the value of the unicorn mermaid below… Tracy...

Rainbow Maths Sticks

The mathematical potential of a stick never ceases to amaze me. Back in 2014, I had a bright idea which is remarkably simple and came about owing to overhearing someone mention colour coding. You get some sticks. You paint the ends different colours. You play with...

20 Something Maths Pictures

Many years ago, I was invited to work at Glendale School in Glasgow. We were having a particular focus on maths outdoors. The whole point of maths outside is that it is real and relies on practical activities. Often these can be quite revealing in terms of what...

Leaf Fraction Walls

One key reason for writing this blog and keeping it going through thick and thin is to provide teachers and early years educators with springboards for their own teaching practice outside. The best things happen when someone reads my blog and then goes on to...
Translate »