A Guide To Preschool Math Objectives

Understanding a child’s current and developing math skills is the key to planning your math curriculum effectively. Preschool math objectives and early numeracy skills go hand in hand with a child’s numeracy development. These objectives serve as a roadmap for educators and parents to guide young minds on their exciting learning. 

This article will break down key preschool math concepts, with specific skills to incorporate them into your curriculum. With these ideas, you can transform math from a subject to be learned into an exciting adventure for your young learners.

These early years are the perfect time to spark their interest in math! Like building blocks, early math skills form the foundation for a strong understanding of math later on.

However, planning a preschool math curriculum can be tricky. You might wonder: What concepts should I introduce? How can I make it fun and engaging? How do I make sure it fits their age and development?

This article is here to help! We’ll break down key preschool math goals and show you creative ways to bring them to life in your classroom. No more juggling – prepare to turn math into an exciting adventure for your young learners!

What Are Teaching Objectives?

Teaching objectives are clear statements outlining what children should be able to know, understand, or do by the end of a lesson or instructional period. They serve as a way to measure learning progress and ensure that activities are well-aligned with children’s developmental needs.

What Do Math Objectives Look Like In Preschool?

Preschool math learning should never feel like a chore! The focus should be on creating a playful and engaging environment where children can explore math concepts through hands-on activities, songs, stories, and games. 

Repetition is vital in this stage, as children solidify their understanding through repeated practice. However, it’s also crucial to incorporate ample free-choice exploration time where children can experiment and discover math concepts independently.

Preschool Math Concepts

Preschool math concepts aim to introduce young learners to the five mathematical disciplines:

• Number Sense
• Geometry
• Algebraic Thinking
• Measurement 
• Graphing

By grasping these five foundational concepts, children aren’t just getting a head start on future math classes. More importantly, they’re developing crucial life skills. These skills include critical thinking, problem-solving, and analysis – all essential tools for navigating the world around them. 

From sorting laundry to figuring out puzzles, a strong math foundation equips preschoolers to tackle challenges confidently, both now and in the years to come.

Math Objectives for Preschoolers

In preschool, math objectives are designed to spark curiosity about math. It focuses on fostering a positive attitude toward math and helping children develop essential skills to serve them as they progress.

Number Sense

Number sense, one of the core preschool math objectives, refers to a child’s overall understanding of numbers and how they work. Preschoolers should be able to recognize, count, and compare numbers. 

Here are some specific skills that fall under this category:

• Counting one-to-one correspondence
• Sequences quantities up to 10
• Identified numbers up to 20
• Uses manipulatives to add sums to 3
• Uses manipulatives to add sums to 5
• Uses manipulatives to add sums to 10
• Uses manipulatives to subtract differences to 3
• Uses manipulatives to subtract differences to 5
• Uses manipulatives to subtract differences to 10

Geometry

This involves understanding shapes, space, and how things fit together. Preschoolers might learn about circles, squares, and triangles or build structures with blocks. Geometry helps children develop spatial awareness, which is essential for navigating their surroundings and understanding maps.

Here are the specific skills under Geometry:

• Identifies circle
• Identifies square
• Identifies triangle
• Identifies oval
• Identifies rectangle
• Identifies diamond
• Identifies star
• Identifies heart

Algebraic Thinking

This might sound fancy, but it’s simply about recognizing patterns and relationships. Examples are sorting toys by color or size or repeating a simple pattern. Algebraic thinking helps children develop problem-solving skills and critical thinking, which are essential in all areas of learning.

Below are specific skills for Algebraic Thinking:

• Sorts by color
• Sorts by shape
• Sorts by size
• Sorts by two or more attributes
• Continues an AB pattern
• Continues an ABC pattern 
• Continues an ABB pattern
• Identifies location words
• Identifies location words

Measurement

This is about comparing and quantifying things. Preschoolers might use measuring cups for pretend cooking or compare the length of blocks. Measurement helps children understand size, distance, and capacity, which they’ll use in everyday life and future science experiments.

Here are some specific skills that fall under Measurement:

• Sequences 3 items from smallest to largest
• Sequences 3 items from largest to smallest
• Sequences 3 items from largest to smallest
• Sequences 5 items from smallest to largest
• Sequences 5 items from largest to smallest
• Uses “standard” to measure length and height
• Uses “standard” to measure weight
• Identifies which quantity is more
• Identifies which quantity is less

Graphing

This involves collecting information, organizing it, and making sense of it. Preschoolers might sort buttons by color or count how many children wear red shirts. Data analysis helps children develop critical thinking skills as they learn to categorize information and draw conclusions.

Here are some specific skills for graphing:

• Reads a graph of two attributes
• Graphs two attributes
• Reads a graph of three or more attributes
• Graphs three or more attributes

Preschool math objectives equip young minds with the essential skills to become confident mathematicians. By focusing on hands-on experiences, building a solid foundation in the number sense, and creating a positive learning environment, we can nurture a lifelong love of learning and discovery in our little ones.

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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