Why are using number activities, preschool focused, so important? Number sense develops over time through opportunities to explore and play with numbers. For students to develop an understanding of math concepts, flexible and fluent thinking with numbers is necessary, which is why developing early number sense is so important.
Engaging students to learn in math class will help students to love math. Unfortunately, children develop a dislike of math early on and end up resenting it into adult life. So how can teachers make math more interesting to engage students? Students who feel successful in math class are happier and more engaged in learning. Check out The Bonus Guide for Creating a Growth Mindset Classroom and Students Who Love Math for ideas, lessons, and mindset surveys for students to use in your classroom to cultivate a positive classroom community in mathematics. You can also sign up for other freebies from me Here at Easternshoremathteacher.com.
To many adults, numbers may seem like a simple idea. But numbers are a complex and multifaceted concept. To have a complete understanding of numbers involves many different ideas and skills. It is not just about counting or identifying the number. Although children may come to school with many ideas about numbers, it takes time and lots of experience to develop a complete understanding that will help them with more complex number-related concepts.
What is Number Sense in Mathematics?
Number sense refers to a person’s understanding of number concepts, operations, and applications of numbers and operations. Number sense is flexible thinking and intuition about numbers.
It is the ability to be flexible with numbers and have a variety of strategies to use. In addition, students know how to use and adapt the strategy to meet different situations.
When Does it Develop?
We are born with a sense of numbers. It develops gradually over time and at different rates by exploring numbers, visualizing them in different situations, and relating them to other cases. Number sense develops over time through opportunities to explore and play with numbers.
What is Number Sense in Preschool?
It is crucial for young mathematicians because it promotes confidence and encourages flexible thinking. In addition, It allows young children to create a relationship with numbers and be able to talk about math.
Good number sense helps children manipulate numbers to make calculations more accessible and gives them the confidence to be flexible in their problem-solving approach.
Number sense develops when students connect numbers to their own real-life experiences.
Number Recognition Activities for Preschool
Families help children as young as 2 or 3 years old count their fingers, toys, and other small sets of objects. They ask questions such as “Who has more?” or “Are there enough?”
When children have these experiences, they begin to develop an understanding of the concepts of numbers and counting.
Early Counting
We need to strive to help all children develop the following four aspects of early numerical knowledge:
- Number Sequence- The names and the ordered list of number words
- One-to-one correspondence- Counting objects by saying number words in a one-to-one correspondence with the objects.
- Cardinality- Understanding that the last number word said when counting tells how many objects have been counted.
- Subitizing- Quickly recognize and name how many objects are in a small group without counting.
Children must have a variety of experiences with these concepts. As children work on each of these aspects of early counting, their understanding about counting is continually refined.
Counting Activities for Preschool
Students need opportunities to count to learn the number sequence orally. Start with numbers to 5 or 10. By the end of kindergarten, students are expected to count to 100 by ones and by tens. By the end of first grade, students are expected to count to 120.
Students also need opportunities to start counting from a number besides 1 in Kindergarten.
Although the forward number sequence is relatively familiar to most young children, masting the backward number sequence or counting back can be difficult.
Jack Hartman Counting Videos
- Count to 100 Silly Song | Jack Hartmann – YouTube
- Count by 1’s to 20 NOW! | Jack Hartmann – YouTube
- Let’s Get Fit | Count to 100 by 1’s | Jack Hartmann – YouTube
- Jack Hartmann – Count Backwards from 100 by 1’s – YouTube
Object Counting Activities Preschool
To develop their understanding of counting, engage children in almost any game or activity in which they have to count objects and make comparisons between counts purposefully.
Regular classroom activities, such as counting how many teddy bear counters or how many students are in the classroom, are easy ways for students to engage in purposeful counting and learn more about numbers.
When counting objects, students should say the number name and touch the one object to develop one-to-one correspondence. In addition, they need to understand that the last number name said tells the number of objects counted. Furthermore, to learn that each successive number name refers to an amount that is one larger.
Once students are ready, they can move to the representational stage of counting and count objects on a piece of paper or computer screen.
It is fun to use seasonal counters or objects students can connect with to make it meaningful.
Activities for Counting Objects
- Counting Objects in a Picture
- Show the Number
- Counting Objects- Freebie
- Number Sense Counting Objects- Freebie
Subitizing
Definition of subitzing
Subitizing is instantly recognizing “how many” in a small set.
What Does Subitize Mean?
A perfect example of subitizing is dice; when you roll a die and see two dots on top, you instantly recognize it as representing a quantity of two. To figure it out, you don’t need to count each dot on the dice.
Subitizing is the ability to rapidly and automatically recognize a set of objects without counting.
Two Types of Subitizing
There are two types of subitizing: perceptual and conceptual.
- Perceptual subitizing involves small sets. It precedes conceptual subitizing.
- Conceptual subitizing involves larger numbers. It is recognizing smaller groups within a larger set and adding those small groups together. So, for instance, when you see 8, you might see 4 and 4.
Why is Subitizing Important?
Subitizing is an essential part of developing basic number sense skills. Subitizing larger numbers helps students develop flexibility with numbers. This flexibility enables them to see that numbers are composed in different ways. For instance, 10 can be 4 and 6 or 3 and 7. This flexibility helps them become more efficient with mental math. Teaching subitizing sets students up for future success in math.
When you teach young children how to subitize, you also teach them to recognize patterns. This, in turn, builds their number sense.
How to Teach Subitizing to Preschoolers?
It is essential to start with perceptual subitizing. You ask them to recognize smaller sets before moving on to larger ones, like 6 and up.
Once students are proficient with subitizing a set of objects to 5, you can move to conceptual subitizing. Conceptual subitizing is a more advanced skill using a larger number of objects.
How to Teach Subitizing?
The simplest way is to show students a collection of objects for a few seconds, and then the children take a mental image of the set.
Remember to quickly show the image so students are not counting. The student’s age and experience in subitizing will determine how fast to flash the image. You might need to give them more time initially or with younger children.
It is not just about how many images. A quick answer is appropriate for numbers up to 5. However, having conversations about how students figured out the solution when moving to slightly larger numbers is important. Breaking larger groups into smaller sets helps them subitize faster. For example, when seeing 7 dots, one student might see it as a group of 5 and 2 more. Another child could see it a different way. This builds flexibility with numbers and is the foundation for addition and subtraction.
Subitizing with Ten Frames
It’s important to expose students to a variety of images to subitize. For example, show students dots or pictures in five or ten frames and ask, “What do you see?” “How do you see it?”
Remember to start with sets of 5, then progress to 10.
- Ten Frames Free Printable (plus Five and Double Ten Frames)
- Numbers to 20 in Ten Frames– Freebie
- Subitizing to 5 or Subitizing to 10 Winter Google Slides
- Numbers to 20 in Frames
- Subitize to 10- Ten Frames and Images
Subitizing with Images
Show students arrangements of dots of images not in five or ten frames. Students need to subitize a variety of images in different ways.
Read more…What’s The Best Definition of Subitizing Plus Proven Ways to Teach It?
Compose and Decompose Numbers
It involves helping children break numbers down into parts (decompose) and then back together ( compose). For example, a student who can compose and decompose numbers understands that 1 and 3 together make 4. In addition, it can break 4 into 1 and 3.
It is important to use concrete and pictorial representations to understand that numbers can be put together and then taken apart in various ways. Students need many opportunities with numbers up to 5 and later extending to 10. This forms the foundation for future work with place value and helps students develop mental images and strategies as they work with basic facts.
Read more…Discover Fun and Exciting Activities and Unpack What is Decomposing in Math?
Comparing Numbers
To compare means to look at the difference between numbers, quantities, or values to decide if it is greater than, less than, or equal to another quantity.
Students start by comparing concrete objects and move to compare numbers. First, students use vocabulary such as greater than, less than, more than, fewer than, and equal to. Then, begin to use the comparison symbols.
Preschool Number Activities
Supporting students with the key mathematical skills of orally counting, counting objects with one-to-one correspondence, and subitizing is essential. These skills help build students’ number sense and enable them to solve more complex problems later.
Download The Free Ultimate Guide for Creating a Growth Mindset Classroom and Students Who Love Math for ideas, lessons, and mindset surveys to use in your classroom. You can also sign up to receive other freebies from me Here at Easternshoremathteacher.com.
Try out some of these simple and effective number activities, preschool focused. Then, let me know what you think!
