Looking for a concrete way to represent simple addition? In this activity we used stickers to represent quantity. Children learn from simple to complex. Start with lining up a handful of items, then pointing to each item and calling out the number. Later, when your child can recognize numbers, ask them to represent them with items (see photo). With math learning, there are loads of items around the home that can be used to count and represent number. 

  

What You Need: 

-Paper plate (divide the plate into sections with a marker and write numbers in each section) 

-Stickers (other items that you can use dried beans, beads, buttons, lids, popsicle sticks)

 

Engaging with Your Child 

For this to be a successful activity, your child should know what the written number is. They should be able to read number forms “That’s a four. That’s five” and so on. Start by showing your child the materials and what they will be doing, “Here is a plate with some numbers. What number is this? Yes, it’s four. I wonder what four stickers would look like? Can you show me?” Give him/her a chance to do this independently. They might need your help to peel stickers but resist the urge to do everything yourself- it's harder than you might think! Check the work together, “Let’s count and see if the number matches with the sticker... It does!” or “Hmm, let’s count with our finger. We might be missing a sticker here...”