Should children in pre-school institutions learn elementary mathematical operations of addition and subtraction and how this should be done

In the Republic of Macedonia the curriculum for mathematics in pre-school education does not comprise the introduction of elementary mathematical operations of addition and subtraction. This paper will deal with deal the arguments for and against this. We will answer the question: Why is it easier for children to add than to subtract. The practical experiences of the new teaching methods that the authors applie in working with students will be presented. These teaching method are from the field of preschool mathematics and are in the function of improving the quality of mathematical knowledge of children at age of 5 or 6