Promoting Early Numerical Concept Development:

Background: Early acquisition of number concepts plays a critical role in children's later academic and cognitive development.However, few empirical studies have longitudinally examined the effectiveness of early intervention programs targeting number concept acquisition in children aged 1 to 3 years.Methods: This study implemented a 9-month educational intervention program focused on developing number concepts through play-based activities in nursery settings.A total of 47 children aged 1 to 3 years participated across four time points.Developmental progress was assessed using the CRAYON BOOK, and changes in numerical cognition scores were analyzed with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.Results: Significant improvements in total numerical cognition scores were observed at each time point following the intervention (r = .68to .78), with continued growth between intermediate phases, indicating both immediate and sustained effects.Item-level analyses revealed diverse developmental trajectories: some skills improved rapidly and stabilized, others showed gradual enhancement, while more complex tasks such as word problems and addition showed no significant gains. Conclusion:This study provides empirical evidence that early, sustained educational interventions in childcare settings can significantly promote the acquisition of number concepts among toddlers.The findings highlight the importance of developmentally appropriate, experience-based support in early childhood education to foster foundational mathematical thinking and help reduce future achievement gaps.