Domain: NC Foundations for Early Learning: Cognitive Development (CD)

Subdomain: Mathematical Thinking and Expression

Goal: Children show understanding of numbers and quantities during play and other activities

Skill Progression: Recognizing number and subitizing

Age: 54-60 Months

Click here to go to all skills for ages 54-60 Months.

Use clean up time for a math activity. Children will pick up a variety of materials to be sorted, counted, and then put away. Give each child a basket to carry and a piece of paper on a table at their seat with a grid.

At the bottom of their rows have them write the total number of items they picked up. Children can then tape their pictures on the board or wall and count how many items were picked up altogether! Now it’s time to put them away. The adult can point out how much can be done when everyone works together!

This activity requires children to group and classify, count, and combine sets for a total. The adult needs to monitor each child’s skill by observing them and asking them questions about what they are doing. Provide suggestions for simple symbols if needed to help children draw more quickly.

Encourage parents to include classifying and counting into their daily activities with children. For example, they can count and record what they do for their chores in pictures or symbols. They can use these pictures to show parents how much they have done.