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: Composing and decomposing number

Age: 54-60 Months

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

Have a variety of 10-20 piece puzzles available. Have children work in pairs with children who have lower number concept comprehension using the puzzles with fewer pieces. The adult needs to provide some instruction before doing the activity. Children need to understand the concept of flat and a corner. The adult needs to define and illustrate these concepts before beginning.

7) OK. Now take your four corner pieces and place them in the corners. How many pieces are left? Look at your picture and use the last number in the biggest group. Count on from there. 8) Now figure out where your flat pieces go with your corners. 9) Look at your picture. How many more pieces do you need to put into the puzzle to use all of the pieces?

The child can look at remaining amounts and determine what is needed to reach a total amount.

Parents are not likely to do similar activities, so early childhood educators need to use every opportunity in the day to give children practice with adding to and subtracting from groups or sets. (Total number of coats, number left; single mittens, number needed; total drink cups needed, how many more after 3 set down, etc.)