Addition is important in kindergarten - it's a foundational concept that will lead to other areas of math (including subtraction, multiplication and division). Try to do some addition every day - even if it's just in your lesson warm up.
Here are 3 fun and effective strategies to make addition fun in kindergarten:
Provide Hands-On Activities:
- Play with equipment and engage students in games before using worksheets and written math journals.
- Set up counting activities in your free or independent centers as well as having hands-on games in your structured math lessons and workshops. Students can add objects, such as counting 2 sets of counters or blocks.
- If you are using a worksheet activity - provide equipment for students to use alongside their page.
Encourage Mental Math:
- Encourage children to practice mental math by asking simple addition problems.
- Start with smaller numbers and gradually increase the difficulty.
- Use this strategy in your brain breaks, warm ups, transitions and picture talks when reading books.
Use Visuals and Images:
- Use pictures or illustrations to represent addition problems.
- Have children count the objects in the pictures and add them together.
- Many of my games and activities in Math Packs and on worksheets include visuals to help support students in solving addition and developing mental strategies.
