It’s always worth thinking about the resources available to make sure they are still appropriate to the children’s interests, in this case, the pebbles are still being well used by the children in a variety of ways therefore should continue to be available for the children to select and use in their play.

The counting skill demonstrated by Jade is significant and you would want to explore this to help you and your colleagues fully understand the extent of her knowledge and understanding about numbers and counting.

What do we know about Jade herself and her own agency? Talking to Jade’s family, to share this story and find out more about Jade and how she might use her number skills at home, will also help to build a fuller picture of Jade.

It’s important not to rush to conclusions about Jade’s abilities, or to suddenly swamp her with mathematical challenges that are too demanding and mean nothing to her; at this moment, you simply want to build on your observation to construct a clear picture of Jade, the child in your centre who appears to have very, very good mathematical skills. However, you might consider providing activities where counting larger numbers, counting-on and other mathematical skills might attract Jade and provide the type of challenge that is appropriate for her. Jade, and other children, might also be interested in other mathematical ideas eg surface area, size and capacity. All of which can be explored using open-ended and natural material.