Half Term 1:

Place Value 

In Year 2, your child will learn to compare and order numbers from 1 to 100. They will recognise the place value of two-digit numbers, and will be able to solve problems. They will also make more use of number lines and will be able to use less than (<) and more than (>), and equal (=) symbols. 

How to help at home

There are lots of ways you can help your child to understand number and place value. Here are just a few ideas:

1. Represent numbers creatively

Showing numbers in interesting ways really helps your child to understand place value. Objects from around the home like buttons, dried pasta, shapes, marbles or pencils are great way to practise counting and organising numbers, for example, '32' could be represented by 32 marbles into three groups of ten and then two ones.

As well as objects, your child can use drawings, diagrams or symbols to represent numbers. 

2. Play a matching game

Your child will be expected to write numbers up to 100 using numerals and words. You could support their learning by playing a matching game.

Make two sets of simple cards or pieces of paper. On one set of cards, write numbers in numerals (for example, ’67’). On another set of cards, write the matching number names (for example, ‘sixty-seven’). Mix all the cards up and play snap.

Alternatively, you could place all the cards face down, and turn over the cards two at a time. If your child turns over two that match, they keep the cards. If they don’t match, they turn the cards back over again. This is a great memory exercise as well as a way to get to know numerals and number words.

3. Compare and order numbers

Encourage you child to talk through how they know that one number is bigger or smaller than another:

I know that 32 is smaller than 76, because 32 only has 3 tens, and 76 has 7 tens.

Encourage your child to use more than (>) and less than (<) symbols when comparing numbers. For example, they could write 32 < 76 or 76 > 32.

You could practise ordering with a card game. Write twenty two-digit numbers and the ‘>’ and ‘<‘ symbols on separate pieces of paper. Deal your child two numbers, face down. Ask them to turn over the pieces of paper and to use the ‘>’ and ‘<‘ symbols to show which number is bigger or smaller.

4. Count

When your child is counting objects, ask them to estimate how many there are before they count them. Being able to make accurate estimates within mathematics is a valuable skill we use in everyday life. It will help them to tell if their answers to maths problems are reasonable or not.

When counting more than ten objects in a set, it is an important skill for your child to be able to group objects in groups of ten. For example, if they are counting 36 buttons, encourage them to begin by counting out buttons into groups of ten. They will then have 3 groups of ten buttons and 6 buttons on their own.

It’s also helpful to practise counting in 2s, 3s, 5s, and 10s. Use objects around the house such as pairs of gloves, 2p, 5p, and 10p coins, or small bunches of grapes. Encourage your child to talk about the patterns they notice when counting in different steps (for example, the fact that numbers end in 0 or 5 when counting in steps of five).

5. Partition numbers in different ways

Partition means to break numbers into parts. Use practical resources, such as straws grouped in tens, to partition numbers in different ways. For example, the number 54 can be partitioned into 50 + 4, 40 + 14, 30 + 24, 20 + 34, or 10 + 44.

This will help your child to see patterns in numbers as they develop their calculation skills.

6. Using number facts

To help reinforce your child’s understanding of number, try to find everyday opportunities for them to use known number facts to solve problems.

This is a really easy thing to do at home and in the shops. For example:

‘If we buy 7 apples and 3 bananas – how many pieces of fruit do we have altogether?’

 

‘If we have 10 people coming to your party and we have 5 party bags, how many more do we need to buy?’