Number sense

What It Means

Number sense is a young child's understanding of quantity and how numbers work. It includes seeing how many are in a small group at a glance (subitizing), counting objects by touching each one once, and knowing that the last number said is how many there are (cardinality). Research published in PubMed Central describes early number sense as a strong predictor of later success in school math.

How Parents Say It

• "She can count to 20 but can't tell you how many are on the plate."
• "He knew there were three without counting."
• "Let's count them together, one at a time."

The Breakdown

Pieces of number sense, and what they look like

By age. The IES practice guide "Teaching Math to Young Children" covers preschool, prekindergartenPre-KPrekindergarten: school-readiness classes for children, typically 3 and 4 years old, in the year or two before they start kindergarten. See more and kindergarten, for children ages 3 to 6. Its first recommendation is to teach number and operations along a developmental progression, meaning each skill builds on the one before. A child who can recite numbers to 20 may still be working on one-to-one counting and cardinality, which is typical at this age.

Try it today. Count things you're already handling: plates on the table, steps to the car, grapes in a bowl. Then ask "How many?" and see whether your child counts again or answers with the last number.

When to talk to the doctor or school. If you have concerns about how your child learns, thinks or solves problems, talk with their doctor, who can check development in all areas. Once in school, talk with the teacher if math seems much harder for your child than for classmates.

Good to Know

The IES guide's other recommendations include teaching geometry, patterns, measurement and data along a developmental progression, checkingChecking accountA bank or credit union account for everyday money going in and out, used by debit card, checks, transfers and direct deposit. See more progress so teaching builds on what each child knows, helping children describe their world mathematically, and setting aside time for math every day. Those are written for teachers, and the everyday counting ideas above are our own examples.

Related Terms and Categories

• Cognitive development

  How a child's learning, thinking and problem-solving grow, from finding a dropped toy to drawing shapes and counting.

• Kindergarten readiness

  How prepared a child is for kindergarten, in social, emotional, language, thinking and physical skills, alongside meeting their state's entry age.

• Dyscalculia

  A learning disability in math that makes number ideas and arithmetic hard; U.S. schools treat it as a specific learning disability under IDEA.

• Early literacy

  The language, sound and book skills a child builds from birth, well before reading, that later support learning to read and write.

• Executive function

  The mental skills that let a person plan, focus, remember instructions and control impulses: working memory, mental flexibility and self-control.

• Developmental milestones

  Skills most children can do by a certain age, like rolling over or waving bye-bye. CDC places each at the age 75% or more of children reach it.

Parenting and child development