Kindergarten Math Checklist: What Your Child Should Know

Measurable Attributes of Objects

Describe and identify measurable attributes of objects such as length, height, weight, and capacity; use comparative language (longer, shorter, heavier, lighter, more, less)

• Identify that a pencil has length and can be measured
• Describe multiple attributes of one object (e.g. a bottle has height, weight, and capacity)
• Use words like 'long', 'heavy', 'full' to describe objects

Comparing Lengths & Heights

Compare two objects directly by length or height and describe the difference using language such as long, short, tall, longer, shorter, taller, double, half

• Stand two children back-to-back and say who is taller/shorter
• Directly compare the heights of two towers and describe one as taller
• Use 'longer' and 'shorter' to compare two ribbons placed side by side

Measuring length and height (age 5+)

Measure and begin to record lengths and heights using non-standard and standard units

• Measure the length of a table using cubes and record the result
• Begin to use a ruler to measure in centimetres
• Record a measurement as a number with a unit

Comparing Capacity

Compare and describe capacity and volume using language such as full, empty, more than, less than, half full

• Compare two containers and say which holds more/less
• Use 'half full' and 'quarter full' to describe a container
• Solve practical problems like 'Which cup has more water?'

Measuring mass and weight (age 4+)

Compare two objects directly by mass or weight and describe the difference using language such as heavy, light, heavier than, lighter than

• Heft two objects and say which is heavier/lighter
• Use a simple balance to compare the weight of two objects
• Describe one object as 'heavier than' another

Capacity and volume

Measure and begin to record capacity and volume using non-standard and standard units

• Measure capacity by counting how many cups fill a container
• Begin to use litres as a unit of capacity
• Record capacity measurements with a number and unit

Measuring mass and weight

Measure and begin to record mass/weight using non-standard and standard units

• Use a balance to compare masses of two objects
• Measure mass using non-standard units (e.g. 'this book weighs 5 cubes')
• Begin to read a simple scale for mass

Ordering Events in Time

Sequence events in chronological order using language such as before, after, next, first, today, yesterday, tomorrow, morning, afternoon, evening

• Order three daily events using 'first', 'next', 'last'
• Use 'yesterday', 'today', 'tomorrow' correctly
• Describe an event as happening in the 'morning' or 'afternoon'

Days, Weeks, Months & Years

Recognise and use language relating to dates, including days of the week, weeks, months, and years

• Name the seven days of the week in order
• Name the twelve months of the year in order
• Understand that a year is made up of months and weeks

Comparing durations

Use comparative language for time: quicker, slower, earlier, later

• Compare two events and say which was quicker/slower
• Use 'earlier' and 'later' correctly to describe daily events
• Solve practical problems like 'Who finished first?'

Telling time to the minute

Measure and begin to record time in hours, minutes, and seconds

• Use a sand timer or stopwatch to time an activity
• Begin to understand that 1 minute = 60 seconds
• Record a duration in simple terms (e.g. 'it took about 2 minutes')

Telling Time: Hours and Half Hours

Tell the time to the hour and half past the hour, and draw clock hands to show these times

• Read an analogue clock showing 3 o'clock
• Read an analogue clock showing half past 7
• Draw the hour and minute hands on a blank clock face to show a given o'clock or half-past time

Coin Values

Recognise and know the value of different coins and notes

• Identify 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2 coins
• Know that a £2 coin is worth more than a 50p coin
• Recognise £5 and £10 notes

Subtraction as taking away or separating

Understand subtraction as taking away or separating from a group to find how many remain

• Model 'taking away' with physical objects and say how many remain
• Act out a 'take from' situation (e.g. 5 biscuits, eat 2, how many left?)
• Explain that subtraction means finding how many are left

Addition as combining or putting together two

Understand addition as combining or putting together two groups to find the total

• Model 'putting together' with physical objects and say the total
• Act out an 'add to' situation (e.g. 3 children arrive, then 2 more join)
• Explain that addition means finding how many altogether

Reading +, −, and = symbols

Read, write, and interpret the symbols +, −, and = in number sentences

• Read 3 + 2 = 5 aloud as 'three plus two equals five'
• Write a number sentence to match a concrete addition situation
• Interpret the = sign as 'is the same as' rather than just 'the answer is'

Number bonds to 9

Find the number that makes 10 when added to a given number from 1 to 9 (number bonds to 10)

• Given 7, respond '3' to make 10
• Use a ten-frame to find the complement to 10
• Record pairs that make 10 as equations (e.g. 6 + 4 = 10)

Numbers up to 10 into pairs

Decompose numbers up to 10 into pairs in more than one way (part-part-whole)

• Show that 5 = 1 + 4, 5 = 2 + 3, 5 = 0 + 5 etc.
• Use objects or drawings to find all pairs that make a given number
• Record decompositions as equations

Fluent adding and subtracting within 5

Fluently add and subtract within 5

• Answer 2 + 3 quickly without counting on fingers
• Answer 5 – 2 from recall or with minimal counting
• Complete a set of within-5 addition/subtraction facts accurately and quickly

Addition and subtraction word problems

Solve addition and subtraction word problems within 10 using objects or drawings

• Solve 'There are 6 apples, 2 are eaten, how many left?' using counters
• Solve 'add to' and 'take from' result-unknown problems
• Solve 'put together/take apart' problems with total unknown

Representing Addition and Subtraction

Represent addition and subtraction using objects, drawings, and mental images

• Use cubes or counters to show 3 + 2
• Draw a picture to represent a subtraction situation
• Use fingers to model an addition problem

Number bonds

Recall number bonds (addition and related subtraction facts) within 20

• Quickly recall that 8 + 5 = 13
• Given 13 – 5, respond 8 using knowledge of related addition fact
• Know all pairs of single-digit numbers that sum to numbers up to 20

Adding and subtracting

Add and subtract one-digit and two-digit numbers to 20, including zero

• Calculate 14 + 5 = 19
• Calculate 17 – 3 = 14
• Add or subtract 0 and explain the result stays the same

Early Word Problems

Solve one-step word problems involving addition and subtraction to 20, including missing-number problems

• Solve 'I have 12 sweets and eat 4, how many left?'
• Solve missing number: 7 = [ ] – 9
• Solve problems using concrete objects and pictorial representations

One-to-one counting

One-to-one correspondence when counting objects: each object is paired with exactly one number name

• Point to or touch each object exactly once while saying number names
• Do not skip objects or double-count when counting a set
• Recognise an error when someone counts an object twice

How Many in Total?

Cardinality principle: the last number said when counting a set tells how many objects are in the set, regardless of arrangement or order counted

• After counting a set, answer 'how many?' with the last number stated
• Understand that rearranging objects does not change the count
• Understand that counting in a different order gives the same total

Rote counting to 100

Rote count forwards and backwards from 0 to 100, beginning from 0, 1, or any given number, by ones

• Recite the number sequence 1–100 without skipping or repeating
• Count backward from 20 to 0
• Count forward starting from a number other than 1 (e.g. 'start at 23')

Counting in 2s

Count in multiples of 2, 5, and 10 (skip counting)

• Count 2, 4, 6, 8 … up to at least 20
• Count 5, 10, 15, 20 … up to at least 50
• Count 10, 20, 30 … up to 100

Counting objects to 20

Count a set of objects to answer 'how many?' for sets up to 20 (arranged in lines, arrays, circles, or scattered)

• Accurately count up to 20 objects in a line
• Count up to 10 scattered objects without losing track
• Given a number 1–20, count out that many objects from a larger set

Comparing groups: more or fewer

Compare two groups of objects to determine which has more, fewer, or whether they are equal, using matching and counting strategies

• Use one-to-one matching to compare two groups
• State which group has more/fewer after counting both
• Use the language 'equal to', 'more than', 'less than', 'fewer', 'most', 'least'

Two written numerals between 1 and 10

Compare two written numerals between 1 and 10 to determine which is greater or less

• Given two written numerals (e.g. 4 and 7), identify which is greater
• Correctly use > and < or 'greater than' / 'less than' to compare single-digit numerals

Representing numbers with objects

Represent numbers using objects, pictorial representations, and the number line

• Show a given number using counters, cubes, or fingers
• Draw a pictorial representation of a quantity (e.g. tally marks, dots)
• Locate a number on a number line

One More Each Time

Each successive counting number represents a quantity that is one larger than the previous number

• Given a set of 5, know that adding one object makes 6
• Explain that 8 is one more than 7
• Given a number, identify one more and one less

3-D shapes

Recognise and name common 3-D shapes (cubes, cuboids, pyramids, spheres, cylinders, cones)

• Name a cube, sphere, cylinder, and cone when shown them
• Identify 3-D shapes in the environment (e.g. a tin is a cylinder)
• Recognise a cuboid and a pyramid among a set of solid shapes

2-D shapes

Recognise and name common 2-D shapes (circles, triangles, rectangles including squares)

• Name a triangle, circle, rectangle, and square when shown them
• Identify a shape correctly regardless of its size or orientation
• Pick out all the triangles from a mixed set of shapes

3-D shapes (age 5+)

Analyse and compare 2-D and 3-D shapes using informal language to describe sides, vertices, and other attributes

• Count the sides and corners of a shape
• Compare a triangle and a rectangle by number of sides
• Describe a cube as having 'square faces' and 'corners'

Turns & Directions

Describe movement and direction, including whole, half, quarter, and three-quarter turns

• Follow instructions to move forward, backward, turn left/right
• Demonstrate a whole turn, half turn, and quarter turn with their body
• Describe a route using directional language

Positional Language

Describe the position of objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of, behind, next to

• Describe a toy as being 'on top of' the table
• Follow instructions like 'put the cube behind the box'
• Use 'left' and 'right' in simple contexts

Building & Drawing Shapes

Model shapes by building from components (e.g. sticks and clay balls) and by drawing

• Build a triangle from three sticks and three clay balls
• Draw a recognisable rectangle
• Construct a cube from straws and connectors

Combining Simple Shapes

Compose simple shapes to form larger shapes (e.g. two triangles make a rectangle)

• Join two triangles to make a rectangle or larger triangle
• Use pattern blocks to fill a hexagon outline
• Create a picture or design by combining basic shapes

Flat vs Solid Shapes

Distinguish two-dimensional (flat) shapes from three-dimensional (solid) shapes

• Sort shapes into 'flat' and 'solid' groups
• Explain that a circle is flat but a sphere is solid
• Identify whether a given shape is 2-D or 3-D

Showing Your Working

Show and tell how a mathematical answer was found using objects, drawings, and spoken words

• Use objects or drawings to demonstrate how an addition or subtraction was solved
• Respond to 'how do you know?' by pointing to objects or a drawing and describing what was done
• Listen to a peer's explanation and say whether they agree or disagree

Making Sense of Problems

Make sense of a problem by identifying what is being asked, choosing concrete objects or pictures to represent the situation, and explaining a pathway to the solution

• When given a word problem within 10, explain what the problem is asking before attempting to solve
• Choose objects, fingers, or drawings to represent a problem situation
• After finding an answer, check it makes sense (e.g. re-count objects to verify a total)

Using objects to model real problems

Use objects, drawings, or simple number sentences to represent a real-world situation (early mathematical modelling)

• Draw a picture or use objects to represent a simple real-world situation involving counting or comparing
• Write or dictate a number sentence to describe a real-world situation (e.g. 'I had 5 apples and ate 2')
• Use the model to answer a question about the situation

Spotting mathematical patterns

Notice simple patterns and structures: spot that changing order doesn't change the total, and recognise how numbers relate to each other

• Notice that 3 + 2 gives the same answer as 2 + 3 (early commutativity)
• Recognise that teen numbers are 'ten and some more' (e.g. 14 is 10 and 4)
• Spot a pattern in a sequence of objects or numbers and predict what comes next

Early Maths Vocabulary

Use mathematical words carefully when counting, comparing, and describing shapes and positions

• Use 'more than', 'fewer than', and 'the same as' correctly when comparing groups
• Name shapes correctly and describe their features using words like 'sides' and 'corners'
• Use positional words (above, below, next to) precisely to describe where objects are

Real-World to Maths Connections

Move between a real-world situation and a mathematical representation using concrete objects, drawings, diagrams, tables, number sentences, or bar models

• Given a story about combining groups, represent it with counters or cubes and find the total
• Given a set of objects, tell a simple addition or subtraction story to match
• Connect a physical action (putting together, taking away) to the matching operation

Finding efficient methods

Notice when a calculation or pattern repeats and use this to count more efficiently or predict results

• Notice that skip counting by 2s follows a repeating odd/even pattern
• Recognise that adding 1 to any number always gives the next counting number
• Use a repeated pattern (e.g. +10 on a hundred chart always moves down one row) to predict answers

Hands-On Problem Solving

Select and use familiar tools (concrete objects, fingers, ten frames) to help solve a mathematical problem

• Choose cubes, counters, or fingers to help solve an addition or subtraction problem
• Use a ten frame to organise objects for counting or comparing
• Explain why a particular tool (e.g. cubes rather than fingers) was chosen for a given problem

Reading and writing numbers to 20

Read and write numerals from 0 to 20

• Read any numeral 0–20 when shown it
• Write numerals 0–20 legibly from dictation
• Represent a number of objects with the correct written numeral

The teen numbers

Understand that the teen numbers (11–19) are composed of ten ones and some further ones (early place value)

• Compose 14 as a group of ten and four ones using objects
• Decompose 17 into 10 + 7 and record as an equation
• Explain that 13 is 'one ten and three ones'

Number Words to Twenty

Read and write number words from one to twenty

• Read the word 'twelve' and identify it as 12
• Write the word form of a given number 1–20
• Match numeral cards to number word cards

Reading and writing numbers to 100

Read and write numerals from 0 to 100

• Read two-digit numerals up to 100 correctly
• Write any number 0–100 as a numeral from dictation

Division as equal sharing

Understand division as sharing equally into groups or as grouping (how many groups of a given size can be made)

• Share 10 counters equally between 2 plates
• Group 12 objects into sets of 3 and count 4 groups
• Use concrete objects to solve 'How many groups of 2 in 8?'

Multiplication as repeated addition

Understand multiplication as repeated addition and grouping equal sets

• Explain that 3 groups of 2 is the same as 2 + 2 + 2
• Use objects to make equal groups and count the total
• Recognise an array as showing equal rows

Arrays for multiplication

Use arrays to represent multiplication and division situations

• Build an array of 3 rows of 4 objects to show 3 × 4
• Read an array and state the total
• Use an array to solve a simple division problem (e.g. 12 objects in rows of 4 → 3 rows)

What Is a Half?

Recognise, find, and name a half as one of two equal parts of an object, shape, or quantity

• Fold a shape into two equal parts and identify each as 'a half'
• Find half of 8 objects by sharing into 2 equal groups
• Identify whether a shape has been divided into halves or not (equal vs unequal parts)

Finding halves and quarters (age 5+)

Recognise, find, and name a quarter as one of four equal parts of an object, shape, or quantity

• Fold a shape into four equal parts and identify each as 'a quarter'
• Find a quarter of 12 objects by sharing into 4 equal groups
• Identify whether a shape has been divided into quarters (four equal parts)

Sorting into categories

Classify objects into given categories, count the number in each category, and sort the categories by count

• Sort a set of shapes by colour and count how many in each group
• Sort objects by size (big/small) and state how many in each category
• Identify which category has the most/fewest after sorting and counting