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Encyclopedia of Mathematics Education pp 252–257Cite as

Early Childhood Mathematics Education

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What Is Meant by Early Childhood Mathematics Education?

Early childhood mathematics education includes providing activities or creating learning environments by professionals such as teachers and care takers in order to offer young children experiences aimed at stimulating the development of mathematical skills and concepts. In general, early childhood mathematics education involves children who are 3–6 years old. Depending on the age of the children and the educational system of their country, early childhood education takes place in preschool care centers or in kindergarten classes. Children’s mathematical development can also be stimulated by encounters and events that take place outside an educational setting, that is, in the children’s home environment, in which, among other things, children can develop some basic notions about number by playing games with their siblings. These family-based activities are highly esteemed as the foundation on which mathematics education in the...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Freudenthal Institute for Science and Mathematics Education, Faculty of Science and Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Marja Van den Heuvel-Panhuizen

  2. Department of Education, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus

    Iliada Elia

Authors
  1. Marja Van den Heuvel-Panhuizen
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  2. Iliada Elia
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marja Van den Heuvel-Panhuizen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education, Centre for Mathematics Education, London South Bank University, London, UK

    Stephen Lerman

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Van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, M., Elia, I. (2020). Early Childhood Mathematics Education. In: Lerman, S. (eds) Encyclopedia of Mathematics Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15789-0_165

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