Ejekwu, Princewill Okechukwu
&
Nwachukwu, Chidinma
Early Childhood and Primary Education Department,
Faculty of Education,
Ignatius Ajuru University of Education,
Port Harcourt
Rivers State, Nigeria.
Abstract.
The study examined the relationship between local games and the development of numeracy skills among preschool children in public early childhood education centres in Rivers State. Two purpose and two null hypotheses guided the study. The study employed a correlational research design. The population of the study was 5,407 nursery three children out of which 270 respondents were sampled using a stratified and simple random sampling technique. The researchers-designed observation inventory was used for data collection which has a reliability index of 0.75 using crumbanch alpha. The statistical tool used for data analyses was Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. The findings revealed that the use of “counting finger games” significantly relates to the development of numeracy skills among preschool children in public early childhood education centres in Rivers State; there is a significant relationship between the use of “water games” and the development of numeracy skills among preschool children in public early childhood education centres in Rivers State. Based on the findings of the study, a conclusion was made which stated that the commonest activities that enhance the acquisition of numeracy skills are various types of local games which enhance various types of numeracy skills development, such as counting finger games which enhance counting numbers skill and water games that impact measurement skills. Recommendations were made, among which include that caregivers should employ the use of educational local games in the early childhood education classroom to help preschoolers develop numeracy skills in the classroom.
Keywords: Local games, counting finger games, water games, numeracy skills, preschoolers.
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