More or less activities for preschoolers

One More One Less Activities

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Use these hands-on one more one less activities to strengthen number sense skills in preschool and kindergarten.

So your kids have learned to count. Maybe they can count to 10, 20…even 100! Does that mean you’re done teaching them the math skills they’ll need?

Of course not! Learning to count is just one small step on the path to mathematical understanding, or number sense. Developing number sense is a key focus throughout the early years and beyond, and the process includes a variety of skills.

In this specific article we’re going to take a look at one of these skills, understanding one more and one less. Although this seems obvious to us as adult learners kids can often struggle with this concept, particlarly one less. Providing them with many concrete experiences with hands-on materials can lead them to a deep understanding of the concept, and this will support them later on as they need to rely on the concept of one more and one less to do more complex math problems.

WHAT IS NUMBER SENSE?

But first, you may still not have a clear picture of number senses and why it’s important. This video from Build Math Minds gives a good overview.

TEACHING TIPS & MAJOR CONCEPTS KIDS WILL LEARN

This article from Maths No Problem shares some of the signs of what good number sense looks like and what poor number sense looks like.

For additional reading on number sense skills and how to teach them, these books are helpful.

ONE MORE ONE LESS ACTIVITIES ON FANTASTIC FUN AND LEARNING

The great thing about one more one less activities is there are many opportunities to naturally weave them into your daily routines if you are intentional about it.

Here on Fantastic Fun and Learning I’ve outlined a series of three hands-on activities you do with any small items (math manipulatives).

Once you learn the simple steps and the math talk that goes along with the activities to deepen the learning potential, then you can also duplicate the same activities with things like snack items and small toys your child plays with throughout the day.

Learn the simple hands-on one more and one less math activities.

ONE MORE ONE LESS MATH GAMES

As kids beging to understand the concept of one more and one less we want to help them develop fluency and be able to quickly identify one more and one less without having to give it a lot of thought.

At this stage playing fun one more and one less math games can help kids develop that fluency.

TRY A ONE MORE ONE LESS MATH GAME FOR FREE

We’ve developed a full year’s worth of thematic one more and one less games to help kids revisit this skill all year long.

We’ve shared about two of the one more one less math games before, and you can try them for free with your kids..

Read about the fish one more one less math game and try it out for free.

See how we use the ladybug one more one less game and get a free copy to try for yourself.

GET THE FULL ONE MORE ONE LESS MATH GAMES SET

Here’s a look at the main components of the complete 57-page one more and one less games set.

What others are saying about this set:

“So easy for kids to use independently. I have been looking for activities to strengthen one more, one less.”

“My students need extra practice with this skill. I know they will enjoy this hands-on approach.”

“This was great for centers and small groups!”

Grab your copy below.

Also available on Teachers Pay Teachers.

INFORMATIONAL YOUTUBE SONGS & VIDEOS

Songs and videos are another helpful tool to help kids remember key skills. These songs and videos are helpful to watch along with your hands-on one more one less activities.

One More Song from Harry Kindergarten Music

One Less Song from Harry Kindergarten Music

One Less Number Game Open Answer Song from Jack Hartmann

One More Video Lesson from Periwinkle

Filed Under: Kindergarten, Math, Preschool Tagged With: one more one less

Reader Interactions

Bear More or Less Activity

Learning about bears is a fun topic for a winter theme in your preschool or kindergarten classroom.

Using high interest topics to teach literacy and math skills makes learning fun and meaningful for kids.

Here’s a hands-on bear activity that will also help young children develop a strong mathematical foundation.

Bear More or Less Purpose

Learning how to compare quantities is a skill that develops over time with exposure and practice.

In this activity, children are using one-to-one correspondence skills to determine the number of objects counted, then comparing quantities.

Activities that provide opportunities to practice comparison skills deepen the understanding of numbers and quantity, thus building a strong mathematical foundation.

When we provide children with hands-on opportunities to manipulate objects, engagement and learning increase. Touching and moving blocks, counters, and other real world objects support research based best-practices of learning from the concrete to the abstract.

The skills covered in this activity include:

• subitizing: some children will be able to subitize the dots on the die, others only up to a certain number, and some, not at all
• one-to-one correspondence: pairing each object with one and only one number name as bears are counted
• more or less: identifying whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group
• understanding the meaning of the words more and less

Bear Activity Supplies

Here are the supplies you will need to make your own bear one-to-one correspondence activity.

• Paper bowls, one per child in your small group
• Gray or brown paint
• Paint brush
• Scissors
• Shaving cream
• Liquid glue
• One foam die
• Plastic bear counters OR Teddy Grahams
• Printable ten frames (available below)

Preparing the Bear More or Less Activity

First, turn the paper bowls upside down and paint them gray or brown to represent caves.

After the bowls have dried thoroughly, use the scissors to cut an opening in the front of each bowl to represent the opening in the cave.

Next, mix one part shaving cream and one part glue together to create “snow paint.” Use a paint brush to apply thick blobs of snow to the outside of the bowls. You could also use cotton balls to create snow if you prefer.

When the snow on the caves is completely dry you are ready to play the game!

Bear More or Less Activity Directions

First, ask your students to pair up or assign partners if you prefer. Next, give each child a cave and one foam die per pair.

To play, the students in each pair will take turns rolling the die and then place the corresponding number of bears in their caves.

After each child has rolled the die and placed the correct number of bears in their caves they will then lift up the caves to count and compare the bears and determine who has more and who has less.

The printable ten-frames sheet below can be used to help children visualize quantities and develop number sense.

Printable Ten Frame

Click on the picture above to download the ten frames printable.

You can use plastic bear counters from your math center for this bear activity, or Teddy Grahams if your program allows. Or you could use the activity with plastic bears the first week, and switch to Teddy Grahams the second week for more hands-on learning fun!

More Activities For A Bear Theme

If you are teaching a bear themed unit in your classroom, then I have a few more ideas for you to go along with this bear more or less activity.

Bear Cave Snack  – After reading the story aloud in class, invite your kids to make this simple snack on their own using only 3 ingredients to extend the story even further.

Polar Bear Activities for Kids –  Here are 25 of my favorite polar bear crafts, snacks, and activities to use at home or in the classroom for learning and fun!

Bear Counts: Counting on Paws – This hands-on activity, based on the book Bear Counts, can lead kids to practice counting and adding one more.

Bear and Hibernation Books- Here are some of my favorite fiction and non-fiction books about bears and hibernation to read-aloud to young children.

Going On A Bear Hunt Activities For Preschool – Whether you are exploring a bears theme or just following up after reading the book, We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, then check out these bear hunt activities for your classroom.

Activities For Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? – After reading this book with your preschoolers, use the activities below to retell the story, explore colors, or develop literacy skills.

More Bear Ideas

Summary of the lesson "The same, more, less" (for preschoolers)

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION

ADDITIONAL HOUSE OF CHILDREN'S CREATIVITY "CONSTELLATION"

MUNICIPAL Education city of Krasnodar

Outline of the open classes

Topic: “The same number. More. Less".

Additional education teacher education

Arushanyan Marina Eduardovna

Age of children: 5-6 years old

Number of children: 10 people

Group: "Octopussy"

Date 02. 10.19

2019-2020 academic year.

Plan - synopsis classes.

Lesson topic: So many same. More. Less.

Purpose: to introduce with the basic concepts of "the same", "more", "less".

Tasks:

Educational tasks:

ü Learn to distinguish number of items: "same", "more", "less".

To form the ability of children to single out individual objects from a group and make up a group of individual items.

ü Lock skill compare groups of items by quantity using pairing and equalize the number of groups of objects.

Educational tasks:

ü Develop connected speech.

Develop the ability to express one's opinion.

Develop logical thinking, memory, attention.

Educational tasks:

ü Bring up curiosity and interest in the activity.

Bring up autonomy and discretion.

Lesson type: Combined.

Type of occupation: Practical lesson.

Form of work: Group, individual.

Elements technologies: personality-oriented, health-saving, gaming, differentiated learning.

Equipment and TCO: Free Images: bunnies, squirrels, ball, mushrooms and nuts, patterns of vegetables and fruits, circles and music center.

Used literature.

1. Erofeeva, T.I., Pavlova, L.N., Novikova, V.P. Math for preschoolers: Prince. For the teacher of children garden. - M.: Enlightenment, 1992.

2. Zvonkin A. "The kid and mathematics, unlike mathematics. "Knowledge and power, 1985.

3. Zhitomirsky, V. G., Shevrin, L. N. Geometry for kids. - M.: 1996.

4. The use of game methods in the formation of preschoolers Mathematical representations ". - L.: 1990.

Appendix No. 1

Appendix No. 2