Preschool counting activities: understanding numbers beyond reciting them

The short answer

Saying "one, two, three" in order is a good start, but counting a group asks for more. Your child touches or points to each object once and says one number for each, understands that the last number said tells how many there are, links a written numeral such as 5 to an amount of five, and learns that the amount stays the same when the group is moved around. These ideas grow slowly through everyday talk and play, and children get there at different times.

About these ideas. The games and the matching cards in this guide were written by SunnySeeds Academy for families to try at home. They are not our lesson plans, not part of a prescribed curriculum, and not a test. There is no score and no pass mark.

Reciting numbers and counting are different

Reciting is saying the number names in order, a little like a song. Counting a group asks a child to do several things at once: say the names in order, match one name to each object, keep track of which objects have been counted, and stop at the end. A child who says "one, two, three, four, five" quickly while pointing at three blocks is reciting, not yet counting the blocks. That shows which part you can practise together.

Four ideas behind counting

The NSW Department of Education in Australia describes the ideas below in its early childhood numeracy guidance for educators. We use them as general background only. They are not the Malaysian preschool curriculum and not a description of our own programme.

• One number for each object. Each object is counted once and only once, often by touching it or moving it aside.
• The last number tells how many. After counting four cups, the answer to "how many cups?" is four, without counting again.
• Numerals stand for amounts. The written 4, the spoken word "four" and a group of four things all mean the same amount.
• Moving things does not change how many. Counting the same group again, spread out, bunched up or in a different order, gives the same number.

Supervised games to try at home

Keep each game to a few minutes and stop while it is still fun. Use large, everyday things that cannot fit in a mouth, or drawings on paper, and stay with your child the whole time.

• Setting the table. Your child gives one plate to each person at the table, then you count the plates together. "How many plates? How many people?" Plastic plates or cups work well.
• Big block towers. Build a tower from large blocks and count them as you go. When you finish, ask "how many?" and wait before counting again.
• Count the drawing. Draw a few large circles, stars or smiling faces on a sheet of paper. Your child touches each one as you count together, then you ask how many there are.
• Spread it out. Count three large blocks in a row, then spread them apart and ask "how many now?" Some children count again and some know straight away. Both are fine; talk about what happened.
• Match the card. Use the cards below. Put a numeral card next to the amount card with the same number of dots, and say the number together.
• One more, one less. With a few large blocks or drawn dots, add one and ask how many there are now, or take one away. Count again together to check. There is no right speed.

Numbers in everyday life

Numbers are all around a young child: the buttons in a lift, the steps up to the door, the fruit in a bowl. A short question in passing, such as "how many steps did we climb?", gives practice without turning it into a lesson. You can count in English, Bahasa Melayu, Mandarin or the language you speak at home. The ideas behind counting are the same in any language.

What to avoid

• Small loose items such as beads, buttons, coins, dried beans or pebbles, which a young child could choke on. Use large objects or drawings instead.
• Turning practice into a test, timing your child or comparing them with other children.
• Worrying when your child skips a number or counts something twice. Count again together, slowly, and move on.

Every child counts at their own pace

These home games are practice ideas, rather than an age assessment. Start with a group your child can explore comfortably. If you have questions about your child's progress, ask their teacher what they see in class.

At SunnySeeds

Numeracy is part of our nursery programme, and children in preschool and kindergarten learn mathematics through Eureka Maths, with hands on tools and logical thinking. See how maths sits alongside the three languages on our curriculum page. For more home ideas, our guide to fine motor play has six supervised activities, and getting ready for Primary 1 covers the everyday skills to talk about before Year 1.