Today I’d like your child to work on the concepts of one more and one less. You will need your number cards to 10 or 20. If possible draw an ice cream sundae for your child and cut out a number of red circles to represent cherries (up to 10 or 20 depending on the confidence of your child)

If you are not able to draw a sundae or provide cherry circles, you could complete the activity using up to 10 or 20 building blocks or Lego bricks. Or you could use small toys, animals, coins or counters. The important thing is that your child is working on the concept of one more and one less, not the equipment they are using to doing it.

Ask your child to choose a number card. Ask them to put that many cherries on the sundae (or build a tower of that many cubes/bricks or put that many toys/counters in a row). Either ask them to add one more and say how many they have now or ask them to take one away and tell you the amount that is one less. This example shows a number 8 card. The instruction is to add 1 more and so there are 9 cherries on the sundae.

Repeat this a number of times so your child is confident with both concepts. Remind them that if it is more the number gets bigger and if it is less the number gets smaller.

Play number ping pong with your child. Pick a concept (either one more or one less) and stick with it. Explain to your child you will say a number, and they have to tell you which is one more or one less (depending on the concept you have chosen). Begin by pointing to yourself and say any number (up to 10 or 20) then point to your child and they say their number. Point back at yourself and say another number and then again point to your child so they say their number. Repeat this until your child is quick and confident. Don’t pick the numbers in any particular order, keep them on their toes! You could now try the game using the other concept.