Charlotte Mason’s List of Attainments for a Child of the age of 6: Adding and Subtracting with Delight
As a former math teacher, I find a lot of joy in math. So much so, I wrote my daughter two living math curriculums that explore the history of mathematicians and their contributions to math and science. I digress- Charlotte Mason was also a lover of math and the beauty it holds.
You may have rolled your eyes at me just then, it’s ok. I can take it. Math can be beautiful, you know, once you get over the 2+2 and they answer 7 aspect.
Let us discuss Mason’s third attainment: to add and subtract numbers up to 10, with dominoes or counters
Charlotte Mason’s early lessons in arithmetic were playful, concrete, and short. She believed that the child must be made to see the reason of everything he learns, and that numbers should first be discovered in the world around the child before being written on a page. For children under six, arithmetic is not yet about sums—it’s about relationships, patterns, and the joy of discovery.
Why Begin with Real Objects
Young children understand best through their senses. When a child touches, counts, and groups real objects, they begin to perceive number as something alive and purposeful. Mason encouraged the use of household items, buttons, beans, sticks, or shells, rather than abstract symbols on paper. This tactile work forms a foundation for later understanding.
How to Begin
Start with counting in daily life.
Count stairs, apples, or napkins as you set the table. Keep it natural and brief.
“Can you give me three apples? Now let’s add one more—how many?”Introduce counters and dominoes.
Counters: Gather ten small items—beans, acorns, buttons.
Begin by showing different combinations that make ten.
“Here are six beans. How many more make ten?”Dominoes: The dots already represent number pairs. Play matching or addition games by laying two dominoes side by side and counting the total.
Play short, living games.
Ten Frame: Draw two rows of five boxes. Fill them with counters to show combinations of ten.
Missing Number Game: Show four beads, hide one behind your hand, and ask, “How many are left?”
Story Math: Tell tiny stories with numbers. “Two birds were on the fence. Three more joined them. How many now?”
Use nature for arithmetic.
Collect pebbles or leaves during a walk. Group them by twos or fives. Compare piles—“Which is more?” “How many together?”
Mason often said the outdoor world provides the best schoolroom.
Resources and Materials
Dominoes: A simple wooden set allows endless combinations.
Counting Bears or Glass Gems: Useful for sorting and pattern work.
Ten Frame Boards: Can be homemade from cardboard.
Buttons: buy a large pack of buttons and keep them in an adorable box. You’re going to use these over and over
Books:
Anno’s Counting Book by Mitsumasa Anno
Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews
How Many Snails? by Paul Giganti, Jr.
These stories invite children to see number in the world, not apart from it.
The Atmosphere of Learning
Keep lessons short: The science of attention spans tells us children can focus for their age plus 1-2 minutes. Five to ten minutes is plenty. Stop before fatigue sets in. When your child sees number as a friend, learning continues through play. You might notice them lining up toys, sorting blocks, or counting birds. That’s arithmetic in its truest form. It’s born from curiosity, not rote memorization and instruction.
When readiness for written numbers comes, it will grow out of this familiarity. Arithmetic should begin in the joy of learning.
A Closing Thought
To add and subtract up to ten may sound like a small goal, but it’s a foundation for a lifetime of mathematical understanding. The child who learns through real objects learns with confidence and clarity. In the early years we’re fostering a love of pattern and order and that takes time.
