Comparing groups: which has more, which has fewer
In Pre-K, children learn to tell whether one small group has more, fewer, or the same number of objects as another, by matching or counting groups of up to 5.
By Robert “Bobby” BarnettMath teacher, parent, and founder of Bobby’s Math Club
Try these with your child
These are real questions from our Pre-K practice. Tap the speaker to hear one read aloud, or the light bulb for a hint, and talk about the answer together.
Question 1 of 3
You have 5 cars and Sam has 5. Who has more?
- You
- Sam
- You have the same
Why this matters
Comparing groups is one of the first ways your child uses numbers to make sense of the world: which is more, and by how much? In kindergarten they compare groups up to 10 and then written numbers like 6 and 9, and by 1st grade they say how many more one group has, an early form of subtraction. It shows up every day too, from sharing snacks fairly to choosing the bigger pile.
Where kids can get stuck
- Judging by size, so 3 large blocks spread out seem like more than 5 small beads in a pile.
- Mixing up "fewer" and "less," or pointing to the bigger group when asked which has fewer.
- Picking one group as "more" when the two are equal, because they expect one group to win.
How you can help
- Pour two small handfuls of raisins and ask who has more, then line them up side by side in pairs to see if any are left over.
- Give each family member a spoon at dinner and ask whether there are more spoons, fewer spoons, or the same number as people at the table.
- Look at two plates of crackers at snack time and ask your child to make them equal by moving crackers, saying what they did each time.
If it’s helpful, you can watch the kid-friendly video below, or sign up for free, adaptive practice in Bobby's Math Club.
Kid-friendly explanation
Questions parents ask
Why is my child learning to compare groups by matching them up?
Matching objects in pairs lets your child see which group has more without having to count. The leftover objects show the difference clearly. This makes the idea of more and fewer concrete before your child relies on numbers alone. Counting then becomes a quicker way to compare, and your child understands why it works.
My child thinks the bigger-looking pile has more. How can I help?
This is very common at this age, since young children judge amounts by how much space things take up. Help your child line the two groups up side by side, one object across from another, and see which row runs out first. Counting both groups and saying the numbers aloud also helps. Over time, your child learns to trust the count more than the look.
What is the difference between "less" and "fewer" for my child?
For young children, both words mean a smaller amount, and teachers use them to describe the group with the smaller number. Hearing both words helps your child understand questions phrased either way. What matters most is that your child can point to the smaller group and say it has fewer, or less, than the other.
Make learning math fun
Bobby's Math Club turns Pre-K math practice into something fun to do together.
- Unlimited practice, completely free
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Written by Robert “Bobby” Barnett
Bobby is an award-winning math teacher, the author of Meet Every Learner’s Needs, and the father of two elementary-school math learners. He uses Bobby’s Math Club with his own kids a few times every week. Learn more or contact Bobby.
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Join the clubNote for teachers: This skill is covered by the Pre-K math learning standard PK.CC.5: “Identify whether the number of objects in one group is more, less, greater than, fewer, and/or equal to the number of objects in another group, e.g., by using matching and counting strategies. (1: up to 5 objects)” Learn how Bobby's Math Club can help your students grow. (Pre-K standard PK.CC.5)