On 23 March and 24 March, Professor Kerry Lee, President of Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education (YCCECE) and Dr Zhang Ye, Assistant Professor of YCCECE delivered a talk titled Learning Mathematics in a Play-based Environment at Yew Chung International School (YCIS) at Puxi Ronghua Campus and Pudong Regency Park. The talk reflects one of Yew Chung’s key early childhood education concepts—“learning through play”. The session explored two main areas. The first focused on individual differences in mathematics learning and achievement, as well as the essential factors that influence them. The second offered practical suggestions for parents on how to create a play-based home environment that supports children’s mathematics learning.

The talks were well attended by parents in both Campuses, many of whom were eager to learn how they could further develop their children’s mathematics skills. Professor Lee noted that parents’ attitudes towards mathematics strongly shape children’s confidence and engagement. Parents were encouraged to weave mathematical ideas into everyday life—for example, using “math talk” while shopping, cooking, or playing games—to build familiarity with numbers. He also emphasised that praising children’s effort and curiosity is often more effective than focusing mainly on correcting answers. Several participants shared that they had previously overlooked the importance of early mathematics and found the talks practical and beneficial. After the talks, a coffee morning was held to encourage networking and exchanges.