Numbers and Basic Math

What Do They Need to Know?

Here are some of the key California standards for kindergarten mathematics. The complete list can be found here.

Number Sense
Compare two or more sets of objects (up to ten objects in each group) and identify which set is equal to, more than, or less than the other.

Count, recognize, represent, name, and order a number of objects (up to 30).

Students understand and describe simple additions and subtractions.

Algebra and Functions
Identify, sort, and classify objects by attribute and identify objects that do not belong to a particular group (e.g., all these balls are green, those are red).

Measurement and Geometry
Compare the length, weight, and capacity of objects by making direct comparisons with reference objects (e.g., note which object is shorter, longer, taller, lighter, heavier, or holds more).

Demonstrate an understanding of concepts of time (e.g., morning, afternoon, evening, today, yesterday, tomorrow, week, year) and tools that measure time (e.g., clock, calendar).

Name the days of the week.

Identify the time (to the nearest hour) of everyday events (e.g., lunch time is 12 o'clock; bedtime is 8 o'clock at night).

Identify and describe common geometric objects (e.g., circle, triangle, square, rectangle, cube, sphere, cone).

Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability
Identify, describe, and extend simple patterns (such as circles or triangles) by referring to their shapes, sizes, or colors.

How Can We Practice At Home?

• Education.com's Kindergarten Math Activities page
• KidPort has several kindergarten math games kids can play online
• A great list of printable and hands-on math activities can be found here
• Game Classroom has tons of fun kindergarten-level math games to play online
• Another school district has this HUGE list of kindergarten math activities (almost like a scavenger hunt) using things around your house!
• My daughter learned all of her coins by dropping money in her piggy bank as potty training rewards. We taught her to call the coins "Big Quarter," "Brown Penny," "Tiny Dimey," and, well, "nickel"! This helped her remember which coin is which by its appearance, before she got familiar with them. Just by naming each coin she dropped in, she learned the coins' names within a couple of weeks!