Building a Strong Math Foundation: Supporting Early Math Precursors for Babies and Toddlers

Abstract Research is finding that exposure to early math during the baby and toddler stages is valuable for their later mathematical outcomes; however, what this looks like in practice has had relatively limited exploration. In response, this study provides insight into the presence of early math precursors (foundational pre-mathematical skills such as attribute, comparison, change, patterns), as detailed by Hynes-Berry, Chen, & Abel, in six public library storytimes for babies and toddlers. This qualitative descriptive study consisted of naturalistic observations and deductive and inductive coding of video-recorded storytimes. Participants included six library educators, 63 babies and toddlers, and 61 caregivers. The observations revealed that all four early math precursors are present in the storytimes through a variety of methods, strategies, and resources the educators and caregivers used with the babies and toddlers. Through the lens of Bruner’s Three Modes of Representation and Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development, findings offer insight into how library and other early childhood educators can better support the precursors through embodied learning, manipulatives, vocabulary, and other developmentally-appropriate supports for babies and toddlers. Additionally, by operationalizing a coding schema using Hynes-Berry et al.’s work, this study also helps to advance a methodological approach for identifying early math precursors in early childhood settings.