Fostering Early Numeracy through Natural Loose Parts: A Nature-Based Pedagogical Approach in Early Childhood Classrooms
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58418/ijeqqr.v5i1.228Keywords:
Early Numeracy, Natural Loose Parts, Embodied Cognition, Early Childhood STEM, Practitioner Action ResearchAbstract
Early numeracy lays a critical foundation for abstract mathematical reasoning; however, conventional early childhood instruction frequently relies on abstract, worksheet-driven tasks that hinder active cognitive engagement. Framed by embodied cognition and constructivist theories, this practitioner action research evaluated the impact of a nature-based loose parts pedagogy, utilizing twigs, leaves, seeds, and stones, on early numeracy acquisition among 15 preschool children aged 4 to 5 years across two action cycles. Data were collected using validated observation rubrics, performance assessments, and video documentation. Results demonstrated substantial gains in developmental mastery, expanding from a baseline of 20.00% to 40.00% in Cycle I, and reaching 80.00% in Cycle II. Inferential verification confirmed that these gains were statistically significant (p < 0.001) with an exceptionally large effect size (r = 0.89). Granular analysis revealed that one-to-one correspondence achieved the highest growth trajectory, surging by +1.80 points on a 4-point scale (a 107.78% relative increase). Parallel improvements were recorded in teacher instructional facilitation (69.44% to 86.11%) and student active engagement (68.05% to 83.33%). Natural loose parts provided tactile-sensory scaffolding that mediated the cognitive transition from concrete physical manipulation to spatial-numerical mapping and symbolic abstraction. This research establishes nature-based loose parts pedagogy as an equitable, scalable, and low-cost early STEM intervention that bridges concrete tactile exploration with abstract mathematical reasoning.
References
Anobile, G., Martelli, S., Bieber, E., Tinelli, F., & Ditano, S. (2026). Sensorimotor numerosity uniquely supports arithmetic development in children. I-Perception, 17(3), 20416695261443210. https://doi.org/10.1177/20416695261443209
Baroody, A. J., & Lai, M. (2022). The development and assessment of counting-based cardinal number concepts. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 111(2), 185–205. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-022-10153-5
Bjørke, L., Standal, Ø. F., & Mordal Moen, K. (2023). ‘What we have done now is more student-centred’: an investigation of physical education teachers’ reflections over a one-year participatory action research project. Educational Action Research, 31(5), 946–963. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2022.2062407
Byrne, E. M., Jensen, H., Thomsen, B. S., & Ramchandani, P. G. (2023). Educational interventions involving physical manipulatives for improving children’s learning and development: A scoping review. Review of Education, 11(2), e3400. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3400
Cankaya, O., Rohatyn-Martin, N., Buro, K., Bulut, O., & Taylor, K. (2025). Loose parts play encourages spontaneous science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) behaviours. Communications Psychology, 3(1), 183. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-025-00362-y
Cankaya, O., Rohatyn-Martin, N., Leach, J., Taylor, K., & Bulut, O. (2023). Preschool Children’s Loose Parts Play and the Relationship to Cognitive Development: A Review of the Literature. Journal of Intelligence, 11(8), 151. https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11080151
Chen, C., Berteletti, I., & Hyde, D. C. (2024). Neural evidence of core foundations and conceptual change in preschool numeracy. Developmental Science, 27(6), e13556. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13556
Chen, J. J. (2023). Reflecting on reflection among early childhood teachers: a study of reflection for, in, and on action intersecting with the technical, practical, and critical dimensions. Reflective Practice, 24(3), 324–346. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2023.2194624
Cheung, S. K., Chan, W. W. L., & Kwan, J. L. Y. (2023). An investigation into the concreteness of manipulatives in mathematical instruction: Do the object and its label matter? Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 65, 275–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2023.07.005
Cheung, S. K., & Kwan, J. L. Y. (2021). Parents’ perceived goals for early mathematics learning and their relations with children’s motivation to learn mathematics. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 56, 90–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2021.03.003
Clements, D. H., Lizcano, R., & Sarama, J. (2023). Research and Pedagogies for Early Math. Education Sciences, 13(8), 839. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13080839
Devlin, D., Moeller, K., & Sella, F. (2022). The structure of early numeracy: Evidence from multi-factorial models. Trends in Neuroscience and Education, 26, 100171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tine.2022.100171
Donovan, A. M., & Fyfe, E. R. (2022). Connecting concrete objects and abstract symbols promotes children’s place value knowledge. Educational Psychology, 42(8), 1008–1026. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2022.2077915
Ebner, S., MacDonald, M. K., Grekov, P., & Aspiranti, K. B. (2025). A Meta-Analytic Review of the Concrete-Representational-Abstract Math Approach. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 40(1), 31–42. https://doi.org/10.1177/09388982241292299
Ellis, C., Beauchamp, G., Sarwar, S., Tyrie, J., Adams, D., Dumitrescu, S., & Haughton, C. (2021). ‘Oh no, the stick keeps falling!’: An analytical framework for conceptualising young children’s interactions during free play in a woodland setting. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 19(3), 337–354. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X20983861
Frey, M., Gashaj, V., Nuerk, H.-C., & Moeller, K. (2024). You can count on your fingers: Finger-based intervention improves first-graders’ arithmetic learning. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 244, 105934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2024.105934
Gashaj, V., Trninic, D., Chen, O., & Moeller, K. (2025). Beyond the page: Enriching storybooks with embodied activities to improve mathematics skills – A scoping review. Trends in Neuroscience and Education, 40, 100259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tine.2025.100259
Gilligan-Lee, K. A., Hawes, Z. C. K., Williams, A. Y., Farran, E. K., & Mix, K. S. (2023). Hands-On: Investigating the role of physical manipulatives in spatial training. Child Development, 94(5), 1205–1221. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13963
Gordon, R., & Ramani, G. B. (2021). Integrating Embodied Cognition and Information Processing: A Combined Model of the Role of Gesture in Children’s Mathematical Environments. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 650286. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.650286
Harris, D., Resnick, I., Larkin, K., & Lowrie, T. (2026). Highlighting the strengths of regional and rural children in early mathematics education: exploring the role of spatial reasoning. Mathematics Education Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-026-00566-3
Hennessy, S., Kershner, R., Calcagni, E., & Ahmed, F. (2021). Supporting practitioner‐led inquiry into classroom dialogue with a research‐informed professional learning resource: A design‐based approach. Review of Education, 9(3), e3269. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3269
Hu, B. Y., Li, Y., Zhang, X., Roberts, S. K., & Vitiello, G. (2021). The quality of teacher feedback matters: Examining Chinese teachers’ use of feedback strategies in preschool math lessons. Teaching and Teacher Education, 98, 103253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2020.103253
Hu, H. (2025). Using action research to infuse nature-based loose parts play into the Kindergarten Program. Early Years, 45(3–4), 383–399. https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2024.2358422
Hung, R. W. Y., Tang, J., & Chan, W. W. L. (2024). From spontaneous focusing on numerosity to mathematics achievement: The mediating role of non-symbolic number processing and mapping between symbolic and non-symbolic representations of number. Cognitive Development, 72, 101507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2024.101507
Jordan, N. C., Devlin, B. L., & Botello, M. (2022). Core foundations of early mathematics: refining the number sense framework. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 46, 101181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101181
Lim, C. A. M., Kaveri, G., Li, J., & Choy, M. Y. (2024). Supporting parents in facilitating computational thinking for young children through loose parts construction play. Future in Educational Research, 2(4), 346–358. https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.43
Loebach, J., & Cox, A. (2022). Playing in ‘The Backyard’: Environmental Features and Conditions of a Natural Playspace Which Support Diverse Outdoor Play Activities among Younger Children. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 12661. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912661
Lundie, D., Ali, W., Ashton, M., Billingsley, S., Heydari, H., Iqbal, K., McDowell, K., & Thompson, M. (2022). A practitioner action research approach to learning outside the classroom in religious education: developing a dialogical model through reflection by teachers and faith field visitors. British Journal of Religious Education, 44(2), 138–148. https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2021.1969896
Marsh, B., & Deacon, M. (2025). Teacher practitioner enquiry: a process for developing teacher learning and practice? Educational Action Research, 33(3), 508–527. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2024.2313085
Mart, M., & Campbell‐Barr, V. (2026). Mathematics in the early years curriculum. The Curriculum Journal, 37(2), 263–282. https://doi.org/10.1002/curj.349
Matsui, G. (2021). Reflection on the Professional Development of Early Childhood Education and Care Teachers in Japan Based on Children’s Voices. International Journal of Early Childhood, 53(3), 367–384. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-021-00306-7
Newman, L., Woodrow, C., Gillespie, A., & Ellott, A.-M. (2024). Practitioner research as a pathway to educational leadership. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2023.2284293
O’Rear, C. D., Zippert, E. L., Ehrman, P., Westerberg, L., Lonigan, C. J., & Purpura, D. J. (2023). Use them or lose them: Are manipulatives needed to assess numeracy and geometry performance in preschool? Infant and Child Development, 32(5), e2444. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.2444
Orrantia, J., Muñez, D., Sanchez, R., & Matilla, L. (2022). Supporting the understanding of cardinal number knowledge in preschoolers: Evidence from instructional practices based on finger patterns. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 61, 81–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2022.05.009
Orrantia, J., Muñez, D., Sánchez, R., & Matilla, L. (2024). Mapping skills between symbols and quantities in preschoolers: The role of finger patterns. Developmental Science, 27(5), e13529. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13529
Ouyang, X., Zhang, X., & Zhang, Q. (2022). Spatial skills and number skills in preschool children: The moderating role of spatial anxiety. Cognition, 225, 105165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2022.105165
Paschall, K. W., Barnett, M. A., Mastergeorge, A. M., Li, X., & Vasquez, M. B. (2023). A new look at teacher interactional quality: Profiles of individual teacher–child relationship and classroom teaching quality among Head Start students. Early Education and Development, 34(5), 1172–1190. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2022.2094159
Pereira, J. V., Dionísio, J., Lopes, F., & Cordovil, R. (2023). Playing at the Schoolyard: “The Who’s, the What’s and the How Long’s” of Loose Parts. Children, 10(2), 240. https://doi.org/10.3390/children10020240
Prabhu, S., Giraud, M., Noacco, S., Brigadoi, S., Mioni, G., Cutini, S., Saccani, M. S., Ranzini, M., & Nava, E. (2026). Number-action coupling across the lifespan: Sensorimotor foundations of numerical cognition. IScience, 29(7), 116420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.116420
Roesch, S., Conze, M., & Moeller, K. (2026). Design and evaluation of a systematic finger-based intervention for early numeracy in 5- to 6-year-olds. Scientific Reports, 16(1), 10495. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-43286-1
Ruming, N., & McFarland, L. (2022). ‘When we sat together, it just worked’: Supporting individual and collaborative reflective practice in a team of early childhood educators. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 47(1), 32–47. https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391211052683
Scalise, N. R., & Ramani, G. B. (2021). Symbolic Magnitude Understanding Predicts Preschoolers’ Later Addition Skills. Journal of Cognition and Development, 22(2), 185–202. https://doi.org/10.1080/15248372.2021.1888732
Shvarts, A., Alberto, R., Bakker, A., Doorman, M., & Drijvers, P. (2021). Embodied instrumentation in learning mathematics as the genesis of a body-artifact functional system. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 107(3), 447–469. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-021-10053-0
Speldewinde, C., & Campbell, C. (2022). Mathematics learning in the early years through nature play. International Journal of Early Years Education, 30(4), 813–830. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2022.2122026
Taborda-Osorio, H., & Otálora, Y. (2023). Effects of a 3-factor field intervention on numerical and geometric knowledge in preschool children. PLOS ONE, 18(11), e0290956. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0290956
Tay, Q. Y., & Kaveri, G. (2026). Strengthening Young Children’s Problem-Solving Skills through Questions during Loose-Parts Play: Findings from a Teacher Inquiry Project. Early Childhood Education Journal, 54(4), 2581–2593. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-025-02025-3
Taylor, M., Alamos, P., Turnbull, K. L. P., LoCasale-Crouch, J., & Howes, C. (2023). Examining individual children’s peer engagement in pre-kindergarten classrooms: Relations with classroom-level teacher-child interaction quality. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 64, 331–344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2023.04.007
Thevenot, C., & Krenger, M. (2024). The “How many?” task inadequately assesses the understanding of the cardinality principle. Cognitive Development, 72, 101500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2024.101500
Tobia, V., Bonifacci, P., & Marzocchi, G. M. (2021). Symbolic versus non-symbolic training for improving early numeracy in preschoolers at risk of developing difficulties in mathematics. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 111, 103893. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103893
Trina, N. A., & Monsur, M. (2025). Plants and play: value of plant databases to transform plants as loose parts play materials in outdoor learning environments. Learning Environments Research, 28(3), 813–834. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-025-09555-y
Vessonen, T., Hellstrand, H., Aunio, P., & Laine, A. (2024). Individual Differences in Mathematical Problem-Solving Skills Among 3- to 5-Year-Old Preschoolers. International Journal of Early Childhood, 56(2), 339–357. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-023-00361-2
Wang, C.-C., Cheng, P. K.-H., & Wang, T.-H. (2022). Measurement of Extraneous and Germane Cognitive Load in the Mathematics Addition Task: An Event-Related Potential Study. Brain Sciences, 12(8), 1036. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12081036
Way, J., & Ginns, P. (2024). Embodied Learning in Early Mathematics Education: Translating Research into Principles to Inform Teaching. Education Sciences, 14(7), 696. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14070696
Yang, W., Luo, H., & Zeng, Y. (2022). A video-based approach to investigating intentional teaching of mathematics in Chinese kindergartens. Teaching and Teacher Education, 114, 103716. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103716
Yuan, Y., Zeng, W., Kloos, H., Brown, R., & Carr, V. (2025). Preschool Engineering Play on Nature Playscapes. Early Childhood Education Journal, 53(6), 2207–2216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01743-4
Zeng, H. Q., & Ng, S. C. (2025). Free Play Matters: Promoting Kindergarten Children’s Science Learning Using Questioning Strategies during Loose Parts Play. Early Childhood Education Journal, 53(7), 2373–2388. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01741-6
Zhang, W., Li, L., & Disney, L. (2024). Chinese early childhood teachers’ perspectives on mathematics education in play-based contexts. Early Years, 44(3–4), 765–780. https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2023.2237205
Zhu, J., Yeung, P., & Hsieh, W.-Y. (2021). Mathematical beliefs and self-reported practices of Chinese early childhood teachers in the context of teaching mathematics during block play. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 29(5), 747–763. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2021.1933118
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Educational Qualitative Quantitative Research
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
