"What math skills should a 4 year old have" is asked by parents of preschoolers who have seen another child count to fifty at a birthday party and gone home worried. The answer is a short list, and most of it is not about how high a child can count. This page gives the eight skills, what each looks like at home, how the list changes at five, a ten-minute check with things in the kitchen, and a game for each. The wider checklist, covering reading and writing as well, is in what should a 4 year old know academically, with a printable PDF.
The eight skills
Typical by the end of the fourth year. Children reach them in different orders, and a child who has six of the eight is doing fine.
| Skill | What it looks like at home |
|---|---|
| 1. Counting aloud | Says the numbers in order to 10, often further, sometimes skipping one in the teens |
| 2. Counting objects | Touches up to 5 things one at a time and says one number for each |
| 3. Knowing the total | After counting, answers "how many?" with the last number, without counting again |
| 4. Recognising numbers | Points to a few written numbers when asked, usually 1 to 5 |
| 5. Comparing | Looks at two piles and says which has more; uses "more", "less", "same" |
| 6. Shapes | Names circle, square and triangle; finds them in the room |
| 7. Sorting and matching | Puts things in groups by colour, size or kind; pairs up socks |
| 8. Patterns | Copies and continues red, blue, red, blue with blocks or beads |
Alongside these, the words of early maths: big and small, long and short, heavy and light, first and last, in, on, under, next to.
The two that matter most
Skill 2 and skill 3 are the centre of the list, and they are different from skill 1.
Counting aloud is memory. A child can recite to 30 the way they can sing a song, without knowing what the numbers are for. Counting objects is harder: one touch, one number, no thing counted twice and none missed. Knowing the total is harder again: understanding that "five" is not just the name of the last block but the size of the whole group.
You can see the difference in one question. Ask a child to count five spoons. Then ask, "So how many spoons are there?" A child who has skill 3 says "five". A child who does not yet have it counts them all again. Both are normal at four. The second child needs more counting of real things, not more reciting.
Four against five
| Typical at 4 | Typical at 5 (kindergarten entry) | |
|---|---|---|
| Counting aloud | To 10, often more | To 20 and beyond |
| Counting objects | Up to 5 accurately | 10 or more |
| Written numbers | Recognises some of 1 to 5 | Recognises 0 to 10; starts to write them |
| More and less | Compares two groups by looking | Knows one more and one less than a number |
| Adding and taking away | "One more" with objects | Adds and takes away within 5 using objects or fingers |
| Shapes | Circle, square, triangle | Also rectangle; some 3D shapes such as cube and ball |
| Patterns | Copies a two-part pattern | Continues it and makes their own |
A ten-minute check in the kitchen
Do it as play, not as a test, and stop if the child loses interest.
- Stairs or steps. Count them aloud together going up. Then let the child count alone. (Skill 1)
- Five spoons. "Can you count these?" Watch whether each is touched once. (Skill 2)
- "How many?" Ask straight after. (Skill 3)
- Give me three. Put ten grapes on a plate: "Can you give me three?" This is harder than counting and shows real understanding. (Skills 2 and 3)
- Two piles. Six raisins and three raisins: "Which has more?" (Skill 5)
- Number hunt. "Can you find a 2 on the clock, the microwave, the calendar?" (Skill 4)
- Shape hunt. "Find something round. Find a square." (Skill 6)
- Sort the cutlery. Forks with forks, spoons with spoons. (Skill 7)
- Bead or block pattern. Lay out red, blue, red, blue: "What comes next?" (Skill 8)
Five or more done comfortably is a typical four year old.
What does not matter yet
- Writing numbers. Fine motor control comes at its own pace. Backwards 3s and 7s are ordinary until six or seven.
- Counting past 20. Pleasant, not predictive.
- Sums on paper. "2 + 3 =" written down belongs to kindergarten and first grade. With three blocks and two blocks, a four year old may well manage it.
- Speed. Nothing at this age should be timed.
- Workbooks. A child who counts real things daily needs none. A child who only does workbooks often has skill 1 and not skill 3.
A game for each skill
| Skill | Game |
|---|---|
| Counting aloud | Count every staircase, in both directions; count down to "blast off" |
| Counting objects | Setting the table: one plate, one fork, one cup for each person |
| Knowing the total | Hide-and-count: count four toys, cover them with a cloth, ask "how many are under there?" |
| Recognising numbers | Number spotting on front doors and number plates on a walk |
| Comparing | Sharing snacks into two bowls: "Is that fair? Who has more?" |
| Shapes | Cutting sandwiches into squares and triangles; a shape hunt in the park |
| Sorting | Laundry: pairing socks, sorting by family member |
| Patterns | Threading beads; clap, stamp, clap, stamp |
Board games with a die and a track (snakes and ladders is the classic) build counting, one-to-one matching and number recognition together. If you buy one thing, buy that.
When to mention it to someone
Children vary widely at this age, and a late start in counting usually closes by itself with more everyday practice. It is worth mentioning to the preschool teacher or the pediatrician if, close to the fifth birthday, a child cannot count three objects, shows no interest in "how many", or cannot tell which of two very different piles has more, especially if speech or other development has also been slower. They can advise whether to look further. This page is general guidance, not an assessment.
Do four year olds need a tutor?
Almost never. What a four year old needs is an adult who counts things with them every day. Tutoring at this age makes sense in a few cases: a family that wants a structured weekly half hour because both parents work late, a child who will start school in a second language, or a child whose preschool teacher has asked for extra practice. If you do use one, the class should be twenty to thirty minutes of games with objects on camera, with the parent beside the child.
Where to get help
A 1-on-1 online class for children from age four, twenty-five minutes, taught with real objects on both sides of the screen and the parent sitting in: counting, number sense, shapes and patterns through games, with a short note to the parent on what to play that week. The kindergarten math page shows what comes next; the free first class is a real lesson, and if your child does not need classes we will say so.
Questions parents ask
1What math skills should a 4 year old have?
2What math should a 5 year old know?
3Should a 4 year old be able to count to 20?
4How can I help my 4 year old with math at home?
See how we teach this, 1-on-1 online →
Shobha
Founder and lead tutor, Science with Shobha
Teaching maths, science and English to children online since 2018. 500+ students, 20+ tutors, families in nine countries.