Mathematics

Number

Here’s what kids should be rocking with numbers at this stage:

They should totally get numbers up to 10. Not just counting them, but knowing what makes up each number. Like, “8? That’s 5 and 3!” or “6 can be 2 and 4.”

Also, if you plop down a handful of toys—up to five—they should just look and know, “Yes, that’s three!” No counting needed, just instant recognition.

And those number bonds? They should have the basics up to 5 down cold. Like, if you say, “What do you add to 2 to make 5?”—they’ll just know it’s 3, no nursery rhymes or finger tricks necessary. They should even know a few pairs that add up to 10, especially the doubles like 4 + 4 or 5 + 5.

Numerical Patterns

Here’s what’s going on with little math whizzes at this stage:

Counting? Oh, they’ve got it. Not just stopping at 20, either—they’ll fly right past it, catching onto the rhythm like it’s their new favourite song.

Give them a handful of buttons or cookies (keep it under 10 unless you want chaos), and they’ll size them up in a snap. More, less, or just the same? No problem. They’re basically tiny quantity detectives.

Dive headfirst into the world of numbers up to 10—hunting for cool patterns, spotting the odds and evens, doubling up like it’s a magic trick, and seeing how you can split things up fair and square.