This exciting book explores young children’s fascination with all things mathematical. Drawing on the Talk for Maths Mastery project, it helps practitioners to understand early mathematical development and recognise the maths taking place in children’s play. Emphasising the importance of starting from children’s existing mathematical interests, it shows how adults can build on these starting points to gradually introduce new concepts and address misconceptions as they arise. The book considers how mathematical development and learning is embedded within children’s dispositions and mindsets. Including case studies, links to practice and reflective questions, the chapters reveal what mastery orientation looks like from the children’s perspective in their learning and covers: children’s serve and return conversational talk mathematical babies and their developmental momentum schematic patterns of thinking mathematical mark making child-led play problem solving creative and critical thinking How adults can support children’s mathematical talk, thinking and mastery Featuring children’s Learning Stories and full colour photographs throughout to illustrate practice, this book is essential reading for all early years practitioners and teachers working with children throughout the EYFS and KS1 as well as students on early years courses.