Abstract

The NumberBods project, launched in 2016 at the University of Sunderland, marked the beginning of the wider LearningBods initiative—an innovative approach to Key Stage 1 education that uses theatre and performance to engage young learners across the curriculum. Conceived as a way to bring mathematical concepts to life through the performing arts, NumberBods aimed to support five- to seven-year-old children by combining creativity, movement, and storytelling to enhance understanding and enjoyment of numeracy.

The pilot production integrated dance, music, narration, and character-driven theatre to explore basic arithmetic and number relationships in a playful, accessible format. Final-year students from the University’s Dance and Performing Arts programme performed interactive shows within a number of Sunderland primary schools using physicality and performance to animate numbers and mathematical operations.

At the heart of the project was the use of kinaesthetic learning strategies to support engagement. Children were invited to interact with performers, participate in movement-based activities, and use their own bodies to represent numerical concepts—such as forming addition signs or grouping into sets to demonstrate multiplication. By encouraging active participation and physical embodiment of abstract ideas, the project addressed diverse learning styles and aimed to build confidence among early learners.