Learning the meaning of a number and relating it to real-life objects is the first step towards numeracy. Children learn what numbers are and match them with objects they can see and touch.
The basic skills of addition and subtraction can be taught early on as the concept of "adding on" or "taking away." It is important that children have an instant recall of basic math skills, so they can develop higher-level math learning later. They can be taught using simple number stories, such as: "Jenny has four sweets and picks two more. How many sweets does Jenny have?" Children can also be introduced to addition strategies such as adding doubles, such as 2+2 and 3+3, or even introducing them to the commutative properties of addition, such as 3+1=4, so 1+3=4.
Kindergarten and first-grade students can hone their math skills by counting money and solving basic problems involving money. This helps students see the relevancy of math in their lives and introduces more complex math skills, such as fractions, in a setting they are familiar with.
Young children can understand math concepts such as time, units, length, weight and capacity, and learn how to categorize and compare them. Basic games and exercises can involve identifying and describing common features in objects.
Telling time is another fundamental skill that is immediately useful for children. Even very young children can understand basic concepts of time, such as morning, afternoon, night, days and weeks, and learn how to tell the time to the closest hour or half-hour.