Teaching addition to 5 year olds and below

It was a sleepy start today. Callista was just way too sleepy to start school. We started by 930am and happily finished by exactly 12:30pm. For days like these, I know manipulatives will be the best way to liven up this day.

I started with Bible, my 4th grader joined in when we discussed Abraham and Lot story using Legos.

After that, I read a short story from Lion Storyteller book (about 3 pages). Then, we played a bean toss game. Where I got an old sock, filled it with beans and tied it with a string. I was thinking of sewing it but, I didn't have the time so I just tied it really tightly with a string. The twins loved the game where they would shoot the bean sock into the hamper basket for several times.

We had a short break, did our calendar review, a few pages of Handwriting Without Tears and some cut/pasting of LA activity sheet from our K Readers Schedule.

Now, here's my main topic about our math practice today. I was surprised that one of my little 5 year old daughter who used to dislike math (because, her concept of math is just counting by rote and nothing more when she was in school) now understands the concept of addition.

Today, I prepared a worksheet for them for  Math, but I don't think they will want to do too much worksheets for the day. So, I made them do this acitivity.

Addition Plates Game

Concept introduced: To understand Number Bonds. Ex. 5+5 is the same as 6+4 and 7+3. Here are our materials:

Small whiteboard

Whiteboard pens/eraser

3 or 4 cups/play doh lids

Beans/blocks/buttons etc

Directions:

Place 3 cups/lids on top of the whiteboard. Write square for the addends and sum on the the whiteboard.

Now, add some beans on the 1st cup/lid then add some on the 2nd lid (introduce zeroes first, then move on to 1-5 or how much a child can understand the concept. 

Ask them to count the beans on the 1st and 2nd cup/lid and write that nunber on the box with a marker. Then combine the beans from the 1st and 2nd cup/lid to the 3rd lid and count.

Then, write the actual number of the sum on the line.

You can use a "counting plate" so it will be easier for them to count the pieces.

Do this exercise for 5+5, 6+4, 2+8, 0+10, 1+9 and so on, so they will grasp the concept. For younger tots, you can just make use of the cups/lids without asking them to write (or you can print numbers on a board and let them put the numbers on the boxes).

For more advance learners, you can do higher numbers.

This activity is a good fine motor activity and math/logic. Just make sure you remind them the steps one by one.

1) "Can you Count the beans on the 1st lid?"

2) "Write/choose the number on the box"

3) "Now, Count the beans on the 2nd lid"

4) "write/choose the number on the box"

5) "Pour the beans from the 1st lid/lid color to the 3rd lid then the 2nd lid/lid color to the 3rd lid/color and count them"

6) Ask "Now, how many beans make up ___+___?"

7)"Now, what is the sum? How many beans are there? Can you write it on the line?"

I hope this activity would help your child understand basic addition as it did mine. You can use jelly beans or M&Ms so they can eat them as a reward. :)