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Many teachers kick off their math school year with a unit on numeracy and for good reason. Number sense is one of the most important strands of math because it extends into other areas, such as data management, measurement, and algebra. However, the anxiety math causes for many students may be perpetuated by beginning the school year with number sense.

An alternative way to kick off the year is to focus on spatial reasoning and geometry. Our observations working with hundreds of students indicate that students tend to be less anxious when presented with play-based spatial reasoning activities. Take for example, our Cookie Sheet Symmetry activity where a line of symmetry is placed on cookie sheet and students create symmetrical designs. This activity is open-ended, creative and playful while also allowing students to practice their visualization and mental rotation skills.

In addition, spatial thinking activities that offer multiply entry points allows students of all abilities to participate and learn from the same activity. For example, our Cube Challenge activity invites children to build all 21 structures out of five multi-link cubes. Early spatial thinkers can begin by putting their cubes together to create any structure whereas more sophisticated spatial thinkers may systematically determine how to build all 21 structures. The beauty of an activity like this is that all students can participate, learn from each other, and develop their skills. These types of opportunities reduce anxiety and promote a more accessible and equitable classroom.

In addition to creating a welcoming math environment, research indicates that proficiency in spatial thinking increases achievement in numeracy and overall mathematics (Hawes, et al., 2022).