Understanding Addition: A Guide for Parents

What is Addition?

Addition is the mathematical operation of combining two or more numbers together to create a total sum (∑). The symbol for addition is the plus sign (+).

E.g. 1 + 1 = 2

        2 + 1 = 3

If we look at the example provided above, there are 2 sequences of numbers. The top numbers in the equation at the top are 1 & 1 then once below that are 2 & 1. When the numbers are added together for the first sequence, we get the sum of 2 and when the numbers are added for the second sequence, we get a sum of 3.

What is the benefit of Addition?

Addition is one of the first fundamental numeracy concepts we learn, in everyday life we rely on addition to know how far our next pay day is, how much money we need to put aside for a particular services or products that we regularly use, buying groceries, or estimate car spaces in front and behind us when driving, or simply adding up how many hours of sleep we anticipate to get tonight.

How to teach your child at home

There are many instances where the concept of addition can be taught to children at home including when they are playing in the garden, cooking, gardening, playing at the park or with their toys.

An exciting way you can teach your child addition while outside in the park is by asking them to collect rocks. If they collect 5 rocks, separate the rocks into 2 groups, such as 2 rocks and 3 rocks. Then ask your child, how many rocks do you have in total if you add the group of rocks on the right and left together i.e.  “2 + 3 =” then ask them to count the rocks on the separate sides, as well as the total amount of rocks on both sides. It may be helpful to encourage your child to use their fingers to assist with addition.

While with larger equations such as 10+5, you can get your child to use their toes and fingers to help them count if necessary for example counting 5 fingers on each hand which = 10, and then counting an additional 5 digits from their toes. So, begin at 10, then count up by 1, until the child has reached the sum of 15.

There are other methods of using visual cues to help children master addition as illustrated below:

This example illustrates the use of pictures to help teach addition.

Can you count how many frogs there are? 

3 frogs + 2 frogs = a total of 5 frogs.

As you notice your child begins to pick up the concept of addition, you can then start to get your child familiar with the appropriate terminology. For example, encouraging the child to verbalise the addition → “3 frogs plus 2 frogs equal 5 frogs”.

                        “2 fingers + 3 fingers equal 5 fingers”