This article addresses the need for research in the areas of Grade R curriculum and pedagogy, Grade R teacher professional development, and early years mathematics teaching. More specifically, it responds to the need for teacher professional development in Grade R mathematics teaching of the geometric concepts of space and shape. The article describes a study about teachers' understanding of how visual arts can be used as pedagogical modality. The study was prompted by the findings of a 'Maths and Science through Arts and Culture Curriculum' intervention undertaken with Grade R teachers enrolled for a Bachelor of Education (Foundation Phase) degree at a South African university. Post-intervention, teachers' classroom practices did not change, and they were not using visual arts to teach mathematical concepts. The lessons learned from the research intervention may contribute to the wider debate about Grade R teaching and children's learning.