Thursday, 14 November 2013

Learning to add

Age: 5/6 yrs
Group: Whole class or small groups
Materials: Number squares or chalk


When I was in practice the kids (5-6 years old) were learning to some adding. They had been doing the 1 + 1, 2 + 1 and so on, and they were going to start doing 1 + 2, 2 + 2 and so on.
The teacher had some big squares with big numbers on them which she put down on the floor with a little space between them. The kids had been learning the numbers from 1 to 16 so she only put down numbers up to 16.

Then she asked one of the kids to come forward and stand on the number 6. She asked the child to do two jumps and see where he landed, he said 8. So she explained that 6 + 2 is 8. And then the child got to choose another child, and tell him/her which number to stand on and then do two jumps and see where he/she landed. 

I think this is a good and fun way to learn to add numbers. Instead of just sitting down and listening to the teacher telling them about adding and seeing it on the blackboard they get to physically get up and do the number jumps. I think it makes it easier for the small children to learn this way because it’s easier to learn when you’re having fun and playing.

We did this activity indoors, but there’s no problem doing it outside if you for example have some chalk and a place to draw with it on the ground, then you can make the squares for them and they can do the jumps while playing outside as well.
 

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