"Use the Grouping Method to teach your child Addition of Whole Numbers"

When our children are preschoolers, we concentrate on Natural Numbers as the concept of Zero is quite difficult to understand. But as we know, the number zero in our number system is extremely powerful, so it must be introduced, and fully understood by your child.

We are also, now going to move your child from the process of counting physical objects, to counting images on worksheets.

This will allow them to explore larger numbers. Numbers beyond the digit 9. It also allows them to see, by use of images, that even though the number 0 is indeed a number, it represents something physical as not being there!

An example of these worksheets could be one that asks your child to complete these tasks...

Now is the time to introduce the same type of worksheet, however in either group 1, or 2, there are no items represented. Thus teaching the concept of zero.

0 balls in group 1 combined with 3 balls in group 2 results in 3 balls in total!

Once the concept of Whole Numbers is understood, it is time to move on to working entirely with the number line. Here we will introduce addition of single and double digit addition. This in turn will move us effortlessly into the realm of number expansion and number placement.