Provide pairs of shirts, toy cars, books, and other items and ask children to name all the similarities and differences. Provide opportunities for estimation and prediction. Ask children how many more blocks they'll need and how tall their structure might get. At first, they may make wild estimations of amounts, but over time, and with experience, they'll make more educated guesses and closer approximations. Cut down on workbook use.
Kindergartners learn new skills best when they see their usefulness to everyday life.
Count the number of children at group time, estimate how many cups are needed for snack time, and sort the blocks and toys at cleanup time. At a Glance Kindergartners use mathematical concepts to compare and quantify all the time, every day. Fives and sixes are using the abstract concepts they've gained to understand concrete situations. Kindergartners notice patterns and make estimations and predictions. Formal addition and subtraction can be taught by rote, but most kindergartners don't have the abstract thinking skills to understand what they're doing.