# What age do they start adding and subtracting?



## rzberrymom (Feb 10, 2005)

What age do kiddos start doing basic math? Things like "I have 4 stuffed bears, and if you give me 2 more I'll have 6 stuffed bears" or "we have 5 pickles, but if you eat one we'll have 4, and if we eat another one tomorrow we'll have 3 pickles."

Anyone know of a developmental chart for number play or math skills?


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## Gray's Mommy (Jul 8, 2005)

I would say between the ages of 4 to 6 is for "word problems". Most kids can do it naturally, but when it is written it is another ball game.


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## 2shy2post (Oct 11, 2005)

My 5yo has been doing this for almost a year.

Not anything *we* do/ask of him. Just something he started asking about.

I believe it started with counting all the "humans" in our family; which is funny b/c he says 6 & counts the dog & the cat.







How many "humans" are in the room, car, etc.

Like, we went to a museum yesterday and picked up my cousin & her three children. Today, he was very interested in how many people were in the car (we have a Suburban).

It's also very important b/c somehow he & his sister (3.5) are on this "everything needs to be equal" kick. How many did she have? How many did I have? How many are left? etc.


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## elizawill (Feb 11, 2007)

i think it just depends on the child. i think doing math conversationally as you described is more natural than addition and subtraction on paper. my dd understood early on how many cookies we all had together...but it took her longer to read and understand 4+5=__

ykwim?


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## wombat (Nov 3, 2002)

My dd's 4yo preschool class started adding/subtracting this year. Not on paper though. They called it 'one more/one less' and they'd use tokens to count, then add 'one more' and recount them, or take one away and recount them.


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## lyttlewon (Mar 7, 2006)

We do math as in what is 2+3 asked verbally. DD usually counts on her fingers to answer but she has memorized some. We will count with objects too.


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## P-chan (Jan 23, 2004)

Here is a link I've seen cited elsewhere on this board, from PBS:
http://www.pbs.org/parents/childdeve...d=58&Itemid=72

It seems really comprehensive. Note that the place to choose the age range is on the left.


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## MtBikeLover (Jun 30, 2005)

My son has been doing this since about 4. Word stuff though...nothing on paper. The other day he did some division (if there are 6 bags of cheese and 3 people, how many will each person get?).


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## Dena (May 29, 2006)

My dd counts EVERYTHING, and started getting interested in adding and subtracting a few months ago. Mostly we do it in the car or grocery shopping - that and spelling, gives us something to talk about and she loves it. She is still counting on her fingers, but has memorized a few things. We have yet to introduce her to the written concept of the math, as I suspect that might be a little beyond her yet. She is more of a tactile learner.


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## JayGee (Oct 5, 2002)

DS got an abacus and the game Sum Swamp when he was 4 and within a few days, he "got it". Now at 6, he's all about math problems, the harder the better







!


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## Ks Mama (Aug 22, 2006)

Our 3 year old started understanding the concept of adding last year. She can do 3 + 2, etc. now - obviously not on paper. She's started to understand a bit about subtraction too.

But these are really natural skills, you know? Putting it down on paper is where it gets more difficult, IMO


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## hottmama (Dec 27, 2004)

I think there's a chart on PBS Kids for math. My 5.5 yr. old is pretty good at adding, subtracting, and simple multiplication. We're planning to use 1st grade math workbooks this fall, and he wants to do 2nd grade by next summer. He's not advanced in reading or other subjects, but he loves math. Strangely, at 4, he couldn't even count to 10, and I had no inkling he'd enjoy math so much.


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## meesa143 (Jul 3, 2007)

DD turned 4 in April and we started doing a little bit around the same time. She just seemed ready for it. We have some workbooks that we use, but produce at the supermarket works just as good


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## mommyto3girls (May 3, 2005)

My 5 1/2 year old started adding and subtracting when i made her word problems with her toys a little before she turned 3. Shortly after turning three she could use counters or her fingers on her own, she was about 4 when she could do number problems on paper (still using counters, a number line, or fingers) She has since taught her 3 year old step-sister how to add on her fingers (anything up to 10, she was trying to teach her to use her toes too) they are both pretty advanced that way though. Sage is not as academically advanced (and really is not interested) and does not even attempt to want to try.

Maia is starting to "group" things now so I plan on introducing the concept of multiplying and dividing soon


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