Addition with Farm Animals — Kindergarten

Addition starts as a counting story, and that is just what each row tells: here are some cows, pigs and a goat, here are some more, how many altogether? The child counts the first group, counts on through the second, and writes the total in the empty box. With the amounts kept small and every one of the farm animals shown as a picture, the meaning of the plus sign — two groups becoming one — is something a kindergartner can see, not only be told.

Each row ends with one question: how many altogether. That quietly teaches cardinality — the last number you count names the size of the whole set. Linking the count to the total is exactly the understanding kindergartners are forming, and pictured farm animals keep it something they can point to and check for themselves.

Children who enjoy farm animals take to this one quickly, and it works just as well as a quiet morning task or a count-along on the board. When the set feels easy, count a different collection in addition with flowers, or try addition with kitchen tools. You can also browse every addition worksheet or the whole farm animals collection for kindergarten — each sheet prints cleanly in black and white or plays online for free.