Preschool Math Concepts
Understanding preschool math concepts is crucial for teachers when trying to build a strong foundation in mathematics for their preschoolers. Early exposure to the right math activities for preschoolers helps develop essential skills like counting, sorting, and recognizing patterns.
These early math skills lay the groundwork for sharper problem-solving and critical thinking down the road. By teaching these concepts clearly and in a logical order, we give young learners the tools they need to build confidence in math. Let me show you how.
Children, without even realizing, start developing mathematical skills while they are still toddlers exploring their environment.
Math is woven into so much of what preschoolers do every day. From counting steps as they climb the stairs to sorting crayons by color, children are naturally curious about numbers, patterns, and shapes. These simple moments are opportunities to build on their natural learning with purposeful activities that introduce foundational math concepts in a fun and engaging way.
But teaching math to preschoolers isn’t just about taking advantage of those daily moments. To really help your preschooler bloom, preschool math concepts need to be taught intentionally.
Read this article about how to teach math during everyday moments.
Preschoolers thrive when concepts are introduced in small, manageable steps that build on one another. With the right approach, teaching math can feel less like a chore and more like a shared discovery—helping kids feel confident and ready to tackle new challenges as they grow. And that’s what this post is all about!
What are Pre Math Skills?
Pre-math skills are the essential groundwork for early math learning, covering concepts that help children prepare for more advanced problem-solving and reasoning. These foundational skills include recognizing numbers, understanding quantities, sorting objects, identifying patterns, and grasping spatial concepts.
How Pre-Math Skills Develop Key Abilities
Pre-math skills play a significant role in shaping a child’s cognitive abilities. Here’s how they contribute to problem-solving, logical thinking, and numeracy:
- Problem-Solving: Activities like sorting objects or completing puzzles teach children how to approach challenges, test solutions, and make decisions. These experiences help them develop strategies for tackling problems effectively.
- Logical Thinking: Recognizing patterns, organizing objects by size or color, and following sequences encourage logical reasoning. This structured way of thinking is crucial for understanding cause-and-effect relationships and making predictions.
- Numeracy Abilities: Skills like counting, recognizing numbers, and comparing quantities build a child’s understanding of basic math concepts. These early experiences with numbers and relationships form the foundation for arithmetic and other mathematical operations.
By nurturing these skills early, we help children develop a strong foundation in critical thinking and confidence in their ability to learn and solve problems. Read more about why math is important in early childhood.
Read this: Essential Preschool Math Topics
Why Teach Preschool Math Concepts Explicitly and Sequentially?
Teaching preschool math concepts explicitly and sequentially ensures that young learners gain a solid foundation in math skills while fostering confidence and understanding. This approach makes learning intentional and structured, setting children up for long-term success.
What Is Explicit Instruction?
Explicit instruction involves directly teaching math concepts and skills rather than relying solely on discovery or incidental learning. For example, introducing numbers by showing how to count objects or explaining the concept of “more” and “less” helps children grasp these ideas clearly and effectively.
This direct approach eliminates guesswork, giving children the tools they need to understand and apply what they learn.
What Is Sequential Instruction?
Sequential instruction means teaching math skills in a logical order, where new concepts build upon previously learned material. For instance, children first learn to count before they are introduced to addition, ensuring that they have a firm grasp of one concept before progressing to the next.
This step-by-step method ensures smooth learning progressions and reinforces prior knowledge.
Benefits of Explicit and Sequential Instruction
- Ensures Comprehension: Children learn math concepts in a way that is clear and easy to understand, minimizing confusion.
- Reduces Learning Gaps: By building on prior knowledge, this approach helps prevent gaps in understanding that can hinder future learning.
- Builds Confidence: Structured learning allows children to experience success at each step, fostering a sense of achievement and motivation to tackle more complex concepts.
By teaching math explicitly and in a sequential manner, educators and parents can give preschoolers a strong start in their mathematical journey, ensuring they feel supported and prepared as they grow.
Read this: Easy Preschool Math Lesson Plans
Preschool Math Concepts in the Five Disciplines in Math
The five disciplines of math in preschool—number sense, algebra, geometry, measurement, and data—lay the groundwork for a comprehensive understanding of mathematics. Introducing these areas early helps children build essential skills through hands-on activities and real-world connections.
Here is the layout for what preschool math concepts should be mastered during the preschool year prior to kindergarten.
Number Sense:
Developing number sense helps preschoolers understand counting, recognize numerals, and grasp the relationship between quantities and numbers.
Preschool number sense skills include:
- rote counts to 20
- counts with one to one correspondence
- sequences number up to 10
- identified numbers 1-20
- uses manipulatives to add sums up to 5
- uses manipulatives to subtract differences from 5
Preschool Math Lesson Plans: Counting
- Daily Lessons in Preschool Counting 0-20 Lesson Plans
- Daily Lessons in Preschool Addition and Subtraction Lesson Plans
Algebra:
Early algebra introduces preschoolers to patterns and simple relationships, encouraging logical thinking and prediction.
Preschool algebra skills include:
- sorting by colors
- sorting by shapes
- sorting by two or more attributes
- copies and continues AB, ABC, and AABB patterns
Preschool Math Lesson Plans: Algebra
Measurement:
Measurement activities teach children to compare sizes, lengths, weights, and volumes using everyday objects.
Preschool measurement skills include:
- sequencing up to 5 items by size in ascending order
- sequencing up to 5 items by size in descending order
- uses non-standard measurements (like unifix cubes) to measure length and height
- uses non-standard measurements (like unifix cubes) to measure weight
- Appropriately uses measurement language like: bigger, smaller, biggest, smallest, heavier, lighter, more and less
Preschool Math Lesson Plans: Measurement
Geometry:
Preschool geometry focuses on recognizing and naming basic shapes, as well as understanding spatial relationships like “above” and “next to.”
Preschool geometry skills include:
- identifies and demonstrates location words
- identifies each of the following shapes:
- circle
- square
- triangle
- oval
- diamond
- star
- heart
- rectangle
- uses basic shapes to create new shapes (like using two squares to make a triangle, or two triangles to make a diamond)
Preschool Math Lesson Plans: Geometry
Data Analysis:
Data analysis involves sorting and categorizing objects and then organizing that information in a way that can be shared with others.
Preschool graphing skills include:
- sorting by colors
- sorting by shapes
- sorting by two or more attributes
- reads a graph of at least 3-5 attributes
- graphs 3 or more attributes
Preschool Math Lesson Plans: Data Analysis
- Daily Lessons in Preschool Comparing and Sorting Lesson Plans
- Daily Lessons in Preschool Graphing Lesson Plans
FAQs About Teaching Preschool Math Concepts
The most important math concepts for preschoolers include number sense, counting, recognizing and creating patterns, identifying shapes, and understanding basic measurement ideas like size and length.
These foundational skills prepare children for more advanced math learning by fostering problem-solving, logical thinking, and numeracy abilities. Activities like sorting objects, counting toys, or exploring shapes in the environment can make these concepts engaging and accessible.
Math concepts can be introduced as early as ages 2-3 through simple play and daily interactions. For example, counting steps while walking or sorting blocks by color and size are natural ways to incorporate math into a child’s routine. The focus should be on fun and exploration rather than formal lessons, helping children develop an early love for math.
Differentiated instruction allows you to meet the needs of children at varying skill levels. Advanced learners can tackle more complex patterns or larger quantities, while beginners work with simpler tasks like counting to five or identifying shapes. Providing a range of activities ensures that every child is challenged appropriately and supported in their learning.
Signs that a child is ready for math concepts include showing an interest in counting, sorting, or recognizing shapes in their environment. For instance, if a child begins to group toys by color or asks questions about numbers, it’s a good opportunity to introduce early math skills. Observing their curiosity and building on it with age-appropriate activities ensures they feel confident and excited about learning.
Preschool Math Concepts: Building Blocks for Future Success
Preschool math concepts play a crucial role in developing early cognitive and problem-solving skills, forming the foundation for a child’s academic journey. By teaching these concepts explicitly—through clear, direct instruction—and sequentially, you ensure that young learners understand and build upon each skill in a logical progression.
Not sure how to get started? Read our Comprehensive Guide on Preschool Math Lesson Plans.
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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.