NUMBERS ARE EVERYWHERE!
So Many Things to Count!
When children first begin to count, they learn important mathematical ideas:
• One-to-one correspondence (one number for one object)
• Stable order (we count 1, 2, 3, 4, … not 1, 2, 7, 5, …)
• Cardinality (the last number counted tells how many)
Tip!
When children are learning to count, they like to touch, point to and move objects as they say the number aloud – so encourage them to!
• Have your child count toys, kitchen utensils, items of clothing as they come out of the dryer, collections (such as stickers, buttons or rocks) and any other items your child shows interest in counting.
• Mix it up! Have your child count a set of objects but start at different places in the set (for example, start counting in the middle of the set rather than at the beginning). This helps to develop the idea that the counting of objects can begin with any object in a set and the total will still be the same.
• Sing counting songs and use counting in meaningful ways in games, such as Hide-and-Seek. Counting games, rhymes and songs exist in every culture. Some counting songs and rhymes help children to count forward and backward as well.
• Have your child skip count (counting by twos, fives or tens) to count larger groups of items quickly. Use such objects as blocks, pasta pieces, toothpicks or buttons.
Ontario Ministry of Education
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/parentguidenum2012.pdf
