In a nutshell: This article describes the math skills children develop in kindergarten and how to support them in everyday life. These include counting and comparing quantities, basic addition and subtraction, measuring length, height, and weight, spatial awareness, and recognizing and describing two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. It recommends using objects, drawing, games, and practical situations.
- A preschooler practices counting, number recognition, counting objects in groups, and comparing quantities or numbers.
- Addition and subtraction can be explained using toys, objects, fingers, drawings, word problems, and number sentences.
- Children learn to measure and compare length, height, and weight, as well as use spatial terms like above, behind, and in front.
- With shapes, it's important to name them, describe their properties, and distinguish between flat two-dimensional and solid three-dimensional shapes.
- Building blocks, drawing, and games with objects help connect math concepts to everyday experiences.
In kindergarten, children focus on learning about numbers and what they represent, as well as basic addition and subtraction.
In general, a five-year-old should be able to count from one to 20 without difficulty. They should also be able to identify numbers up to 10 and write them correctly without your help or the help of another adult.
If your child has trouble counting beyond ten or identifying numbers after ten, don't worry! It's completely normal—they'll get it when their brain develops enough to understand how it all works intuitively, rather than having it drilled into their head by an adult who doesn't always know what's best for each child's mental development process!
Want to help your preschooler master math? Skills your child should learn
Numbers: 0-19 - One, two, three, four (1, 2, 3, 4)
Numbers: 20-100 - Twenty (20), thirty (30), forty (40), fifty (50), sixty (60), seventy (70), eighty (80), ninety (90), one hundred (100)
Counting by ones and tens: Count to 100 by ones and tens.
Counting objects in groups: Count how many objects are in a group. Say whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group.
Comparing small numbers: Compare any two numbers from 1 to 10 and say which one is greater than or less than the other.
Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
Adding and subtracting numbers is key to a child's mathematical development.
It helps them learn to count, add, and subtract—important skills for any child who wants to succeed in school and beyond.
Addition is "putting together" and "adding to." Subtraction is "taking apart" and "taking from."
To help your child remember this concept, try using it in everyday life: Let them arrange their favorite stuffed animals in a circle at a party and then give each toy two or three cookies. Ask them to predict how many more steps they would need if one of their toy figures joined the party.
Also, ask them to use objects, fingers, simple math drawings, or mental images when solving word problems involving addition or subtraction of numbers that add up to 10 or less.
This will help them master addition and subtraction within 5 (1 to 5) quickly and accurately.
When solving addition word problems involving numbers that add up to 10 or less, have your child show the answer using a drawing or an equation (number sentence). For subtraction word problems that involve subtracting
Measurement and data
There are many ways to measure objects. For example, you can measure the length of an object by how long it is.
You can also measure the height of an object by how tall it is. And finally, you can measure weight by how heavy the object is.
In addition to being able to describe the length, height, and weight of an object, it's important to understand that objects can also be measured in relation to each other. This means that if you have two objects and you want to compare them in terms of size or weight, you need to consider where each one is relative to the other.
For example, if one object is above another object, then we would say it is "above."
If one object is behind another object, then we would say it is "behind." If one object is in front of another object, then we would say it is "in front."
Measuring objects is a fairly simple way to understand the world around you. You can measure objects by length, height, or weight.
Let's say you have a ruler. You can measure the length of an object by placing the ruler against it. The longer the object, the more space it takes up on the ruler.
You can also use your eyes to compare the height of two objects. If one thing is taller than another, it will take up more space above the other.
Finally, you can use your eyes to compare how heavy two things are. If one thing weighs more than another, it will take up more space behind it.
Shapes
Shapes are all around us, and it's important for your child to know how to identify and describe them. If they can't tell you what a circle looks like, they'll have trouble telling you when one is missing from their workbook.
Practice naming common shapes by making a game of it with your child. Ask them to find things that are round, like pizza slices or the moon. Ask them to find things that are triangular, like pieces of paper money or roofs on houses.
While talking about different shapes, ask them to describe why the shape they noticed is a triangle (three sides) or a square (four equal sides) or a rectangle (two opposite equal sides and two other opposite equal sides that are longer).
Understand the difference between "flat" or two-dimensional shapes (a square or circle drawn on paper) and "solid" or three-dimensional shapes (a wooden block or cube; a sphere or globe). This will help your child learn math concepts like volume and surface area.
Using building blocks and drawing will also help your child understand how to create different types of shapes!
