Children have been keeping track of time on a series of maths treks around York's museums over Easter.

The treks, involving pupils from several York schools, took visitors around the different rooms of the three city museums and art gallery.

Each child had a sheet to fill in with questions connected with time and numbers and based on the exhibits on show.

The treks were designed by a group of primary school teachers and developed by the Castle Museum's education officer, Marilyn Ingle, and Companthorpe Primary School teacher Pam Lund.

The completed sheets will be taken back into schools after Easter and children will receive a souvenir of their part in the treks.

Pam said: "We're very proud of it. It's an attempt to get families involved in maths. We have got to get parents involved and it's a fun way to do it."

Marilyn said: "It's a brilliant thing that is happening. I've seen grandparents going round helping their six-year-old grandchildren with it."

Money for the time trek leaflets came from the scheme being run in 11 York schools to promote maths, which is funded by the Gatsby Foundation charity.

Pam and Marilyn now hope to gain sponsorship so it can be offered to all family visitors because it has proved so popular. The museums involved are the Castle Museum, York Story, York City Art Gallery and the Yorkshire Museum. The primary schools involved are Copmanthorpe; Lakeside; Lord Deramore's, Heslington; Our Lady's RC, Acomb; Robert Wilkinson, Strensall; Stockton-on-the-Forest; St George's RC plus Westfield Junior, Acomb; Yearsley Grove Junior; Yearsley Grove Infant; and Northfield Special School.

janet.hewison@ycp.co.uk

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