What role does home numeracy play on the development of numerical competencies of preschool children?

Parent-child interactions with a numerical content, also referred to as home numeracy activities, have been considered to play a role on the individual differences among young children’s numerical competencies since late 1980’s (Blevins-Knabe & Musun-Miller, 1996). For instance, LeFevre, Skwarchuk, Smith-Chant, Kamawar, & Bisanz (2009), found an influence of home numeracy activities on an early mathematics test called KeyMath measuring numeration, addition and subtraction skills. Furthermore, Kleemans, Peeters, Segers, & Verhoeven (2012), observed an effect of home numeracy on the Utrecht Early Numeracy test, a test measuring comparison skills, quantity knowledge, numerical correspondence, counting, simple calculation, and estimation skills. However, these studies used a composite score of the various numerical competencies, leaving open the question whether home numeracy is more relevant for one or more of these numerical competencies, and whether the association between home numeracy and mathematical skills is mediated by number sense skills. In this study, we examined the relation between the specific numerical competencies and home numeracy activities.status: accepte