+

tel: 07871 766937

Ages: 4-6

This step-by-step video shows you how to practice recognising numbers, improve counting and start working on simple addition and subtraction with your child.

You will need:

Counters, pennies or Numicon

Number cards – download our printable number cards here.

Number Recognition and Counting Activity (1:00)

Use counters or coins to match objects to the shape of the Numicon. This activity helps your child to visualise numbers, which will eventually strengthen their mental maths and help with written arithmetic.

Use number cards so that your child can match up the number of objects to the correct digit. This will help with their number recognition.

You can use any small objects around the house for this activity and, once mastered, you can have fun around the house by putting different objects – like pebbles, food or cushions – in this formation. Experimenting with different objects will help your child to understand what numbers mean and improve their counting technique.

Adding and Subtracting Objects (3:37)

When your child is comfortable with putting objects in the correct formation, you can start to introduce addition and subtraction. Start by adding 1, then subtracting 1. Eventually you can start to add and subtract slightly larger numbers (like 2, 3 and 4).

During this activity, you can start to introduce mathematical language like “plus”, “minus” and “subtract”. Start by saying that you “take away one” as children should be familiar with this terminology.

To keep your child engaged, try swapping roles so they tell you to add or subtract objects and you tell them how many objects you have left.

Extension Task – once your child is comfortable with adding and subtracting objects (remember this may take some time), you can start to ask them to predict the answer. Hopefully, this work with objects has enabled them to visualise numbers, which will help enormously with mental maths. Once your child has predicted the answer, ask them to check this with the objects and show you how they did it.

If your child grows frustrated with predicting answers or finds it difficult, just go back a step and do the work above.

LEARN ABOUT OUR KS1 CLASSES

Introducing Number Sentences (7:09)

This activity introduces children to written number sentences (such as 3+2 = 5). They will need to understand what symbols (I.e. +, – and =) mean and what they’re called.

You can start to combine the objects, like counters, with arithmetic symbols (see video). You can do this quickly with number cards, however, you can also just write the symbols on paper if you don’t have any cards.

Five and six-year-olds should start to write the symbols and paper themselves but younger children may be reluctant to do so. Using number cards is a good substitute for writing as it will ensure that your child is still able to grow familiar with the symbols.

Once you have done this activity with small objects, you can graduate to writing number sentences on paper.

Extension Tasks

Extension Task – give your child a few number sentences (e.g. 4+1 =, 1+6 =) and asking them to work out the answers independently using counters. This is a good activity for your child to do on their own for a few minutes, freeing you up to do something else.

Extension Task 2 – discuss what answer your child gets when they do 1+6 versus 6+1. Discuss other sums that produce the same answer. You can also discuss whether 8-3 gives the same answer as 3-8.

Next Steps

Your child can now answer the questions from the worksheet below. The answers can be calculated using the skills they have just learnt using objects to add and subtract.

Download our Addition and Subtraction Worksheet.

save this post

Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on pinterest
Share on email

Youtube


Facebook

e: [email protected]

t: 07871 766937