Counting Comes Naturally

When my children were three years old, I recall using numbers frequently during our conversations.  I believe that my children’s understanding and love of numbers grew so quickly through this daily repetition. When we would walk up a set of steps, I would always say, “Ready, here we go. One, two, three…” As we slowly walked up each step, my three-year-old would chime in with the numbers that were familiar to her, which were the numbers one to ten.

We would also count when we were setting plates on the table. My daughter would say, “One plate for Mommy, one plate for Daddy, and one plate for me.” I’d ask my daughter how many plates she put on the table for dinner, and she would respond by using her finger to point at the plates and say, “One, two, three!”

Another of my favorite ways to practice counting was our snack for the day. I would place a few crackers and cheese slices on my daughter’s napkin and ask her to count them. She would frequently form a pattern before she starts counting, and that was another math skill she did on her own! See, Math can indeed be fun!

Being able to count objects is an early math skill that is essential for all learners. It’s a skill that you and your child can have fun with on a daily basis, just like we did. As your child becomes familiar with numbers, he or she will realize that the numbers are always used in the same order every time. 

As children count objects more, have them touch each item they count to make the experience a richer one.  This helps emphasize the one-to-one correspondence needed for correct counting.

Why not give it a try? Line up six blocks on the table. It’s important to line them up in a row instead of a pile to make the counting easier for your child. This way, your child will find it easier to remember if an item has been counted already. Have your child touch each block as he or she counts each one of them out loud. If he or she needs assistance, start over and say the numbers with him or her. Be sure to touch each block as you count (you can move each block to further emphasize). Don’t forget to praise your child for a job well done!

Counting accurately will take lots of practice. Practice slowly but regularly. Remember not to overwhelm your child with counting exercises, as too much of it tends to be counterproductive anyway. You can even make a game out of it if you so desire. Whatever your strategy, remember to have fun!