Kindergarten Math: how to help at home
What your child learns in Kindergarten math in the Alberta Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- Number: children investigate quantities to 10, count with one-to-one matching, and see small groups at a glance (subitizing)
- Number: children take quantities apart and put them together (composition and decomposition) within 10
- Geometry: children notice 2D and 3D shapes in the world, such as circles, triangles, cubes and cylinders
- Measurement: children compare size by looking and holding, and talk about longer, shorter, heavier and lighter
- Patterns: children copy, extend and make repeating patterns of up to three parts
- Time: children put events in order and use words such as first, next, today, yesterday and tomorrow
Easy ways to practise math at home
- Count everyday things out loud: stairs, grapes, steps to the car.
- Sort laundry or toys into groups, then ask which group has more.
- Spot shapes on a walk: circles on signs, rectangles on doors.
- Make patterns with snacks or blocks (red, blue, red, blue) and let your child continue them.
What each unit covers
Count to 10
Counting objects one at a time, matching numbers to amounts, counting on and back, putting numbers in order, and knowing that nothing is zero.
See It Fast
Subitizing means knowing how many are in a small group without counting. Practise with dice, dominoes and fingers: show a number and ask how many.
More, Less, Same
Comparing groups by matching them one to one, seeing equal as balanced and unequal as unbalanced on a scale, and reading simple picture graphs.
Make 5 and 10
Using 5 and 10 as anchors (fingers, five and ten frames), finding how many more make 5 or 10, and breaking numbers into two parts.
Add & Take Away
Small story problems where some join or some leave (totals to 10), plus finding one more and one less.
Patterns
Spotting the part that repeats in patterns like AB, AAB, ABB and ABC, then predicting what comes next or what is missing.
Shapes & Sizes
Naming flat shapes and solid objects by one feature (sides, corners, rolls or not), and comparing things by size, height, length, weight and how much they hold.
First, Next, Today
Talk about the order of things at home: what you do first, next and last, and what happened yesterday or will happen tomorrow.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Beginning
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Approaching
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Exceeding
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the Alberta report card guide.
Common questions
How can I help my Kindergarten child with math?
Count everyday things out loud: stairs, grapes, steps to the car. Sort laundry or toys into groups, then ask which group has more. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
What does my child learn in Kindergarten math in Alberta?
The Alberta Curriculum Kindergarten math units include count to 10, see it fast, more, less, same, make 5 and 10, add & take away, patterns.
Free printable Kindergarten math practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.