For parents whose children have just entered kindergarten or Grade 1, new fall routines can bring excitement — and some anxiety. Parents may wonder: How do I support my child’s learning? And what can I do at home without turning family time into school?When families think about foundational learning, literacy often comes first: reading books, learning letters and recognizing sounds. Mathematics and numbers sometimes receives less attention, even though children’s early numeracy knowledge is a strong predictor of later academic achievement.The good news is that preparing young children for mathematics does not require worksheets or formal lessons.Children develop mathematical knowledge through conversations, everyday experiences and even while playing — counting the stairs, comparing which glass has more juice, building with blocks, noticing patterns or figuring out whether everyone in the group has equal number of jellybeans.Learning to count is complicatedAs some of my research has examined, one important skill before and during the early years is learning the verbal counting sequence. However, counting is not equally easy in every language.Some languages have highly regular number systems. In Mandarin Chinese, for example, the words for numbers after 10 follow the underlying base-10 structure quite closely. Eleven is expressed as “ten-one,” 12 as “ten-two,” and so forth. Once children learn the first 10 numbers and understand the pattern, they can use it to generate new number words and count easily. Read more: How counting by 10 helps children learn about the meaning of numbers English is less predictable. Children must learn the words “eleven” and “twelve” followed by “teen” words, before encountering the more transparent pattern of 21, 22, and so on. French can be equally hard and presents additional irregularities: 80, quatre-vingts, which translates as “four twenties.”Researchers suggest these linguistic differences can influence how quickly children learn counting, although language alone does not determine mathematical knowledge or ability. Children learning English or French may simply need additional practice with the less predictable parts of the counting sequence.Parents’ attitudes toward mathematics matterAdults sometimes casually say “I was never good at math” or “I’m just not a math person.” But young children are remarkably attentive to adults’ emotions and beliefs. Research increasingly suggests that mathematics anxiety can be transmitted across generations through parents’ attitudes, avoidance and interactions around mathematics.This doesn’t mean parents need to love mathematics or know all the answers. It means they should avoid presenting mathematics as frightening or as an ability people either possess or lack. Instead, if the child is having a hard time, they should hear messages such as: “Numbers can be tricky sometimes. Let’s figure it out.” Challenges can be treated as a natural part of learning.Make mathematics part of everyday lifePerhaps the most useful strategy for parents is to expose children to mathematics without making every interaction instructional or worksheet-based.Board games involving numbers or dice can support counting, number recognition and understanding of numerical magnitude. Recent research continues to identify mathematical games as valuable opportunities for early learning when they provide appropriate content, repetition, feedback and adult interaction.Cooking with children also provides another mathematics-rich opportunity. Children can count spoonfuls, measure ingredients, divide food into equal portions or discuss whether a container is half-full.Everyday objects can become mathematical materials, too. Buttons, lids, stones, sticks, cardboard tubes and blocks can be sorted by size or shape, arranged into patterns, counted, compared and used for construction. In our play studies we found that these versatile play materials encourage spontaneous opportunities for mathematical reasoning.Choose mathematics apps carefullyTechnology can also support learning, but an “educational” label does not guarantee that math apps are effective.Math apps are most useful when their design and content align with how young children learn mathematics. Parents should look for applications that adjust to children’s levels, minimize distracting features, use language the child understands well and provide meaningful feedback (rather than simply announcing right or wrong answers). These apps should supplement rather than replace hands-on exploration and conversations with adults. Parents can also extend digital learning into the real world. Building with blocks, for example, is a simple and well-established way to support early mathematical learning. Children can create and extend patterns, compare the size and shape of structures, experiment with balance and solve problems as they build. Block play also gives children opportunities to reason about space and the physical properties of objects while developing skills such as problem-solving and taking different perspectives. Some research also suggests that block play may support executive functioning, which the set of skills children use to pay attention, plan, remember information and regulate their actions. Executive functioning plays an important role in children’s academic learning.Children do not need home worksheetsSupporting children’s foundational math learning is about providing frequent opportunities to encounter numbers, quantities, shapes, patterns, measurement and spatial relationships. Importantly, it’s also about giving children the language to talk about what they notice.Count together. Cook together. Build things. Play board games. Ask questions. Encourage children to make mistakes, and discuss how that is where learning happens.The most valuable preparation may be helping children believe mathematics is important and fun part of their world — and that they are capable of figuring it out.Ozlem Cankaya receives funding from the Spencer Foundation and the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).She is affiliated with the Council for Early Learning and Care, Terra Centre, and the International Toy Research Association.