16 of the basic preschool math concepts are:

 Observation
 Problem Solving
 Language
 One-to-One Correspondence
 Number Sense
 Shapes
 Spatial Sense
 Sets and Classifying
 Ordering/Seriation
 Comparing
 Patterning
 Counting
 Measurement
 Parts and Wholes
 Numbers and Symbols
 Graphing
 1. Observation: Using the senses
 Observing is the first step in gathering and organizing information.  Children use
their senses to observe.  When given a collection of items (for example apples)
children use their senses to observe attributes such as color, size, sweet/sour,
texture, and soft/crunchy.  
 2. Problem Solving:
 Convergent problem solving is the ability to gather individual pieces of
information together in one’s mind and come to a single solution to a problem. 
 Divergent problem solving is the ability to gather many pieces of information and
consider a variety of possible solutions to a problem.
 3. Language:
Use math language throughout the day as well as during activities.  Introduce
new words with activities such as “This is a pattern!  Red, white, red, white.”  
 Other examples of math language we use in preschool are heavy, light, tall,
short, round, rectangular, add to, take away, etc.
 4. One-To-One Correspondence
 This the understanding that one group of items has the same number of items as
another.  It is any activity where the children match one thing to another thing.

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 For example: 1 button for each bear (see picture below) or 1 paper cup for 1
child, each hand has a mitten. 

 5. Number Sense
 Number Sense is the concept of understanding number. 
 It helps children to understand the connections between quantities, counting,
more, less, etc.
 6. Shapes
 Shapes are also known as early geometry!  That’s right…what is geometry but
the study of shapes?  
 At this age, children will not work with formulas for diameters and
circumferences, but rather with identifying basic shape names and comparing,
sorting, classifying and drawing them.
 7. Spatial Sense
 Spatial sense is the ability to place items in the correct spaces or places using a
logical design or a pattern.  As an example, we see this when children are
working on puzzles.
 8. Sets and Classifying
 Creating sets is the ability to make groups of items in a logical way.  It requires
the skill of classifying.
 Classifying is a higher level skill than comparing.  After observing and comparing,
the children can take the information learned and begin sorting, classifying and
grouping in logical ways.  
 They begin to separate items based on observations.  They may separate apples
by those with and without stems, by size, by color, etc.
 9. Ordering/Serration
 Order Serration is another higher level skill than comparing.  
 When ordering or seriating items, the child compares more than two items or
groups and places the items in a logical sequence.  
 They may place items in order based on size or shape (such as placing fruit in
order from smallest to largest).
 Or they may place items in order based on first to last (such as placing pictures
on a flannel board in order of when they happened in a story).
 10. Comparing:
 Comparing is the ability to identify similarities in items or groups.  
 Once children have had time to explore items, they begin to compare.  

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 They begin to notice similarities as well as differences such as same and
different colors, weights and sizes of apples.  

11. Patterning
 Patterns are the ability to place items in a specific order that repeats such as:
 Patterning a pompom caterpillar in an AB pattern—yellow, blue, yellow, blue 
 Patterning the children in a line—boy, girl, boy, girl
 12. Counting
 There are 2 types of counting.
 Rote Counting- reciting numbers in order from memory.
Rational Counting- is counting items in a group and then understanding that the
last number stated IS the amount for the set.  
 13. Measurement
 Measuring includes many areas such as volume, weight, length, height,
temperature and time. 
 14. Parts and Wholes
 Parts & Wholes is an early fraction skill!  Fractions!  In Preschool?  You bet!  
 At this age, children learn the basics of parts and wholes.  Some examples in
preschool are:
 If we break a Graham Cracker (a whole) in half we have 2 pieces and each of
those pieces (the parts) are rectangles!  
 We can rip or cut a piece of paper (a whole) in little pieces (parts).
 15. Numbers and Symbols
 When referring to Numbers and Symbols, we are referring to the understanding
that a specific number is a symbol and that symbol stands for a set of specific
items.  
 16. Graphing
 Graphing is a way of recording or communicating observations and data that the
children have learned.
 Children use math all day long! 
 During every activity from counting the steps they climb, to sorting blocks and
stating “there are more red ones”, to separating the carnivores from the
herbivores (for the dinosaurs’ own safety of course!), children are using math.
 Knowing the math skills your preschoolers are developing and should be
developing will help you plan math across your curriculum and throughout your
classroom.

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