The Development of Mathematical Thinking in Young Children’s Play: The Role of Communicative Tools

In this article I will summarize some of the main findings over the past three decades of a research program on emergent mathematical thinking in young children. The program is based on a cultural-historical activity theory perspective (CHAT), and focused mainly on identifying the productive conditions that may promote mathematical thinking in young children (4–8 years old). After clarifying briefly the methodological starting points of the research program, and explaining some theory-based tenets, I will list a number of productive conditions (play format, schematizing, narrative competence and intertextuality) that empirically turned out to be positive in promoting meaningful mathematical thinking in young children, especially elaborating the importance of communicative tools that help children to exchange their meanings regarding mathematical objects (like number, numerosity, quantity, relations and changes).