Teach A 3 Year Old Addition

Yesterday I asked a mother if she is teaching simple addition to her three year old son. She was taken by surprise with my question. She asked me, “Am I suppose to? Can he do it?” So I gave her my one minute talk on why she should demonstrate counting and addition to her three year old son. I told her that even young babies have the capacity to recognize quantities up to 3. So, toddlers should be able to count and add.

I demonstrated an easy way of showing one plus one, and one plus two with my fingers:

“From about 18 inches from a child’s eyes, show your right index finger pointing up and say ‘one plus one’ and bring up your left index finger up abut eight inches from the right index finger on the was level. Say ‘equals two’ bringing both index finger closer with an inch distance, and say ‘two’ again at the same time bringing down your left hand to your side, showing your right index finger and middle finger in front of your child to represent the quantity two.” This is the basic moves in demonstrating simple addition.

Do this adding exercise every day. Then do 2 plus 1 for a few days. Then do 2 plus 2 for next day or two.

Leo Leonidas, MD, FAAP

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