Early home numeracy activities and children’s third-grade symbolic and nonsymbolic math skills: A 5-year longitudinal study

Abstract

Based on a representative sample of 196 Chinese children (101 girls; ages 5–9) and their parents, this study examined the longitudinal relations of early home numeracy activities, measured in preschool in 2015, with children’s math skills in third grade in 2019. The results showed that the frequency of number book activities predicted children’s third-grade nonsymbolic math skills and that the frequency of number application activities was predictive of third-grade symbolic math skills. More importantly, these relations persisted even after controlling for preschool number skills, the other types of numeracy activities, parenting styles, and demographic variables. The findings highlight the potential role of enhancing early number book and application activities at home in engendering long-lasting effects on children’s math development.