Exploring effects of an early math intervention: The importance of parent–child interaction.

We explore whether training parents' math skills or playing number games improves children's mathematical skills. Participants were 162 parent–child dyads; 88.3% were white and children (79 female) were 4 years (M = 46.88 months). Dyads were assigned to a number game, shape game, parent‐only approximate number system training, parent‐only general trivia, or a no‐training control condition and asked to play twice weekly for 8 weeks. Children in the number game condition gained over 15% SD on an assessment of mathematical skill than did those in the no‐training control. After 8 additional weeks without training, effects diminished; however, children of parents in the ANS condition underperformed those in the no‐treatment control, which was partially explained by changes in the home numeracy environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]