5 Simple Ideas for Teaching Numbers in Preschool

Teaching number sense to early learners is one of the most important foundations you can give a preschooler or kindergartener in math. Number sense is more than just recognizing numbers. Number sense includes, knowledge of quantities, number order, sequencing and counting with a one to one correspondence and many others. It is not only important to teach young ones to count but to teach them what those numbers mean. Here are some definitions and ideas to teach these important skills.

Teaching Numbers and Number Sense- Counting and Subitizing

Subitizing is the ability to automatically recognize a quantity without counting. at An example of this is when a teacher uses ten frames to teach numbers. The students soon learn that if the top row is filled in , there are five boxes filled. If the entire frame is filled in , the number is ten. Another example or activity is using an empty egg carton. You can teach the children that when the carton is half full the number is six and when the carton is filled with objects, the number is 12.

Teaching Numbers and Number Sense-Composing Numbers and Addition

Composing numbers is another important skill that can be introduced in preschool and again in kindergarten. Composing (making) numbers is just that. It is the introduction to addition. Using manipulatives, ask the children, how can I make the number 4? They may show you three counters and then one counter for a total of four. For further exploration you can ask, ” is there another way to make four?”. This also introduces the concept that there are different ways to make quantities.

Addition clip cards to teach numbers and number sense.

Teaching Numbers and Number Sense-Decomposing Numbers and Subtraction

Decomposing numbers means to take a number and break it down into parts. Here, you are teaching whole to part. Decomposing numbers helps students understand place value and addition and subtraction. My favorite way to teach decomposing numbers is to use number bonds. Teaching decomposing numbers also leads to the introduction of subtraction.

Teaching Numbers and Number Sense – Place Value

Connecting blocks are another favorite manipulative that I use in my classroom. I have used them in PreK, Kindergarten and First Grade. The children love snapping and unsnapping these cubes together which is great for fine motor skill practice too !!! You can use the cubes for cubes for counting and subitizing as well as decomposing numbers and place value. The students love to make towers of ten for the tens place and then snap a second tower together for the ones place.

Use connecting blocks to teach numbers and number sense. Great for teaching place value.

There are so many ways to teach numbers and number sense to young learners. It needs to be taught explicitly and with purpose. It is imperative that we teach the meaning of numbers and not just the names of each number. A child may be able to count to 20 by rote memory, but not understand what it means. If we want to give them every advantage, we should use these early years to teach the meaning of numbers and the concepts and skills that will help them to be strong mathematicians in school. At the bottom of the page is a Tik Tok that my class made to show how we decompose numbers with number bonds using manipulatives. They love using manipulatives! As always, be creative and have fun!

– Jeanne

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Hi, I'm Jeanne !

I help PreK to 1st grade teachers with resources and ideas to make your job easier.

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