Math language plays a crucial role in early math skill development. However, previous studies have measured math language using children’s knowledge or the environmental input of mathematical language, often limiting the scope to specific types of mathematical language. This study examined both numerical (e.g., number-related) and non-numerical (e.g., geometry, measurement, and spatial relations) mathematical expressions used by parents and young children during play and explored how combinations of these math language types related to early math skills. Fifty-eight children aged four to six years and their parents participated in laboratory-based tasks, including a 15-minute play session and a standardized math assessment. The results showed that numerical and non-numerical expressions were used at similar frequencies, and there were strong correlations between parents’ and children’s math language across various types. Mediation analyses revealed that children’s use of math language mediated the relation between the mathematical input they received and their early math skills, but this effect emerged only when advanced numerical and geometry language was considered. These findings emphasize the significance of children’s active use of math language and highlight the need to integrate numerical and non-numerical content in research on early mathematical development.

数学语言在早期数学技能发展中起着至关重要的作用。然而，以前的研究是使用儿童的知识或数学语言的环境输入来衡量数学语言的，通常将范围限制在特定类型的数学语言上。本研究检查了父母和幼儿在游戏时使用的数字（例如，与数字相关）和非数字（例如，几何、测量和空间关系）数学表达式，并探讨了这些数学语言类型的组合与早期数学技能的关系。58 名 4 至 6 岁的儿童及其父母参加了基于实验室的任务，包括 15 分钟的游戏课程和标准化数学评估。结果表明，数字和非数字表达式的使用频率相似，并且各种类型的父母和儿童数学语言之间存在很强的相关性。中介分析显示，儿童对数学语言的使用在他们收到的数学输入与他们早期数学技能之间的关系之间起中介作用，但这种影响只有在考虑高级数字和几何语言时才会出现。这些发现强调了儿童积极使用数学语言的重要性，并强调了在早期数学发展研究中整合数字和非数字内容的必要性。