Adding Up the Fun: Teach Your Preschooler Addition

Addition for preschoolers is the first big mathematical step after building basic number sense. It’s like graduating from counting your fingers and toes to understanding how combining things creates a new quantity. And like all first steps, it can be a bit wobbly for both young learners and the adults guiding them.

We are here to explore with you how to teach addition to preschoolers in systematic and developmentally appropriate ways. We will also explain the signs of readiness, so you know if your preschoolers are ready to learn formal addition. Come explore the exciting topic of preschool addition and see how it aligns with all of your other math activities for preschoolers.

Teaching numeracy skills to your little ones can be fun and rewarding. As early as 3 years old, you can help them grasp simple problems like “1 plus 1 equals 2” with the help of different math activities and strategies.

According to Young Scholars Academy, math skills learned in early childhood can impact a child’s success in school and beyond. Helping your preschoolers understand the concept of addition early will help them with math success as they journey into elementary school and beyond.

But remember, every child learns at their own pace. If your child isn’t quite there yet, don’t worry! Engaging activities focusing on counting, sorting, and comparing will naturally pave the way for addition. To help you teach addition (and subtraction) to your preschoolers that are ready, I have developed Addition and Subtraction Lesson Plans for Preschoolers. These lessons provide some fantastic hands-on activities that focus on skills related to composing and decomposing numbers and basic addition and subtraction practice, as well!

What is Addition for Preschoolers?

For preschoolers, adding is frequently viewed as a joyful game rather than a difficult mathematical idea. In simple terms, it is putting things together or adding to a group.

Preschoolers may need more help understanding the abstract concept of addition than older children or adults, but they do understand the fundamental idea of combining things. When first learning addition, it is very important for preschoolers use counters, objects, or manipulatives to symbolize the numbers they are adding. Number lines and drawings can also be useful along with these tactile objects.

How Do You Teach Preschoolers Addition?

Teaching addition to preschoolers is about making it fun, interactive, and hands-on. Here are some playful and engaging ways to introduce addition to preschoolers:

1. Use Manipulatives: Use common objects such as blocks, buttons, or toys to represent numbers. Allow children to manipulate these objects to observe physical addition in action. For example, if you’re adding two blocks to three blocks, ask them to count out loud as they add them together to get the total.
2. Visual aids: Use number lines, counting charts, or flashcards to illustrate addition concepts visually. These resources assist children in grasping the concept of counting on or adding groups together.
3. Games and Puzzles: Introduce addition using age-appropriate and exciting games and puzzles. For example, take dice and have them roll two, then count the dots on each and add them together to get the total. Or create basic addition puzzles that match pictures or objects to answer addition problems.
4. Outdoor exploration: Make use of outdoor areas for hands-on learning. You can use chalk to draw addition problems on the sidewalk and then have your preschoolers jump or hop to locate the solution. Also, natural objects such as rocks or leaves can be used for counting and adding activities.

By incorporating these strategies into your teaching approach, you can make addition a fun learning experience for preschoolers, setting a strong foundation for their mathematical development.

At What Age Can a Child Do Addition?

Children often begin to understand basic addition concepts around three or four, though this period might vary based on individual development and exposure to mathematical concepts. At this age, children can usually count up to ten confidently and begin to grasp the idea of combining or grouping objects.

By age 4-5, many children can understand simple addition problems with smaller numbers. They may utilize concrete objects like toys, blocks, or fingers to visualize and solve addition problems.

As children go through early childhood and kindergarten, their comprehension of addition improves. They begin to develop mental addition techniques and may start to use counting boards, number lines, or other visual aids to assist them in solving addition problems without the use of physical objects.

How Do I Know if My Preschooler is Ready to Learn Addition?

You may wonder when to introduce formal addition to your child. While there is no definite age, there are some key signs that your child might be receptive to learning this important math concept. 

Beyond counting, a basic understanding of number comparisons is helpful. Can your child tell you if more goldfish crackers are on one plate or another? Can they sort objects based on quantity? If your child can readily identify “greater than,” “less than,” and “equal to,” they’re developing the skills needed to understand combining quantities.

Here are some indicators that your preschooler is ready to start learning addition:

• Counting Ability: Can your preschooler count reliably up to at least 10, and preferably higher? Being able to count accurately is a foundational skill for understanding addition.
• Number Recognition: Does your preschooler recognize and identify numbers, especially those from 1 to 10? Being able to recognize numbers is crucial for grasping addition concepts.
• Interest in Math: Does your preschooler show interest in math-related activities? Do they enjoy counting objects, sorting items, or engaging in simple math games? Interest in math can indicate readiness to explore addition.
• Understanding of Sets: Does your preschooler understand the concept of sets and groups? Can they tell when one group of objects has more or fewer items than another? This understanding is essential for grasping the idea of adding items together.

Finally, observe your child’s natural curiosity around numbers. Do they enjoy counting objects they encounter throughout the day? Are they drawn to simple addition problems in everyday situations, like sharing cookies with a sibling? This inherent interest in numbers indicates that your child may be ready to learn addition.

If your preschooler exhibits some of these characteristics, they are probably ready to learn addition concepts. Remember that each child learns at their own pace, so be patient and allow plenty of opportunity for hands-on, interactive learning. 

Teaching Addition to Preschoolers

Teaching addition to preschoolers requires a balance of creativity, patience, and hands-on activities. Lectures and worksheets won’t resonate with young minds. Instead, tap into their natural curiosity and love of play. 

Transform addition into an adventure! Use colorful manipulatives like blocks, buttons, or even favorite toys. Let your preschoolers physically combine these objects to represent putting things “together.”  

Here are some awesome addition-related activities for preschoolers:

• Collecting Bugs Addition Game 
• Composing Ten: A Ten-Frame Counting Activity
• Introducing Addition and Subtraction with Manipulatives
• Christmas Addition Mats for Preschool
• Addition Hands-on Math Printables
• Pom Pom Addition Game
• Block Count Up- a hands-on number line activity

Lesson Plan for Preschool Addition

Here at Stay at Home Educator, we make learning fun and effective, all while building a strong foundation in math for future success! 

Our exciting Daily Lessons in Addition and Subtraction Lesson Plans have all that you need to teach addition (and subtraction) to your preschoolers! This is the ninth and final until of our comprehensive Preschool Mathematics Curriculum. This is the exciting moment when preschoolers get to apply all of their number sense skills they have been working on as they start to join small groups together and also practice taking away.

This unit is PACKED with awesome hands-on activities that introduce the concepts of adding and subtracting. Some of the fun centers in this unit include: Composing 5, Composing 10, Ten frame addition mats, Snapping number order cubes, Roll & add one, subtract one…plus many more! Your preschoolers will certainly ADD on the fun and become confident mathematicians as they work their way through these fantastic hands-on lessons!

Learn more about our awesome Addition and Subtraction Lesson Plans, what they include, and basic how-to’s:

• Addition and Subtraction Lesson Plans for Preschoolers
• Daily Lessons in Addition and Subtraction
• Ultimate Guide to Teaching Addition and Subtraction to Preschoolers

These playful addition activities for preschoolers provide a springboard to grasp the fundamental concepts of combining and counting. Through hands-on exploration, children develop a strong foundation in number sense and learn how to compose and decompose numbers.

Remember, every child learns at their own pace. Addition for preschoolers is a very exciting milestone. Be patient, celebrate their efforts, and most importantly, keep it fun! With consistent encouragement and positive experiences, you are helping to build a strong foundation and setting your preschoolers up for a lifelong love of mathematics.

Sarah Punkoney, MAT

I’m Sarah, an educator turned stay-at-home-mama of five! I’m the owner and creator of Stay At Home Educator, a website about intentional teaching and purposeful learning in the early childhood years. I’ve taught a range of levels, from preschool to college and a little bit of everything in between. Right now my focus is teaching my children and running a preschool from my home. Credentials include: Bachelors in Art, Masters in Curriculum and Instruction.

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