Addition with Classroom Objects — Kindergarten

Here addition mixes something to count with something to read. One addend is a little set of pencils, books and a globe the child counts for themselves; the other is a numeral already written down; the box after the equals sign is where the total goes. Counting the classroom objects and then carrying on past the written number to reach the answer is exactly how five- and six-year-olds start to trust that a numeral stands for an amount they could have counted out themselves.

Reading one addend as a numeral while counting the other as pictures keeps addition meaningful without keeping it purely pictorial forever. It is the gentlest introduction to written numbers in sums — the classroom objects stay countable, the totals stay small, and the child learns that the figure on the page names the same amount they would have counted out by hand.

Children who like classroom objects settle into this quickly, and it suits a calm independent task or a counting game on the board. When the numbers feel easy, count a fresh group in addition with clothes, or try addition with flowers. You can also browse every addition worksheet or the whole classroom objects collection for kindergarten — each sheet prints cleanly in black and white or plays online for free.