Math for 2s and 3s: The impact of parent-child math activities on parents’ beliefs and behaviors and young children's math skill development

Abstract

Mathematics knowledge and skills are critical for success in school and beyond. Professional interest in the role parents play in young children's math development has been increasing, but there is still relatively little rigorous research on this topic, especially for children younger than 4 years old and as compared with research on parents’ role in literacy development. This study provided parents of 2- and 3-year-old children with a 12-week series of simple, fun math activities to do with their children and used a randomized controlled design to examine whether the program had effects on parents’ ideas and beliefs about math for young children, their math interactions with their children, and the children's learning outcomes. The sample consisted of 358 families who were randomly assigned to receive the early math activity program, which was delivered via text messaging, or not. Findings indicated that the program strengthened parents’ beliefs that math was important for young children, increased their engagement in math activities with their child (particularly while they were receiving the program), and enhanced children's skill in subitizing, a foundational early math concept. The program did not significantly affect children's skill levels in other math domains, parents’ own math self-efficacy, or parent and child outcomes not related to math.